The Grail Games IC

Illya, Noin - Streets

The arrow whistled through empty air as Lancer dropped and rolled out of its path. She slid back to her feet, locking eyes with her target. How had he gotten all the way over there? It didn't make sense... No, it made perfect sense. This wasn't Saber or Caster, which meant it was another Servant summoned by the homunculus. Ravager had possessed the abilities of both Berserker and Rider. So, it made sense that this Servant would also have the abilities of two other Servants, more specifically, Archer and Assassin.

Unfortunately, that meant she didn't have much chance at catching him unless he wanted to be caught, and she highly doubted that was the case. For now, all she could do was keep his attention. Maybe Logan would fare better against his opponent...

Giving her lance a quick spin, Lancer pivoted on the edge of the building and launched herself from the roof again, once more moving towards her target. If he wanted to play cat and mouse, she would be happy to oblige.

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Logan's eyebrows raised in surprise when Edmond reached out to grasp his flaming sword, but to his credit, that didn't slow him down. Instantly determining that the swords were of no further use, Logan dropped them, and they faded almost instantly, leaving behind only a small dusting of ashes.

The ground beneath Logan cracked as he launched himself skyward, using a combination of his own leaping strength and his spark steps to soar over both Edmond's spell and the magus himself.

Rumbling laughter echoed down the street as Logan landed where Edmond had been standing a few moments before. "Excellent!" His voice crackled as Logan turned back to face Edmond once more. "It's been a long time since I've gotten to really cut loose."

His eyes glowed even brighter now, but with something other than malice. Instead, reflected in Logan's crimson gaze was mirth. This bread, a broken body. This wine, the spilling of blood. Death brings life, a reflection of the Father's love." The sound of rattling chains filled the air for a moment as they spilled from his sleeves and pooled on the ground. The silver links of the cuffs twisted, reforming into swords that were still linked together by the chains that ran over Logan's shoulders.

Still chuckling, Logan gave the chains a jerk, propelling the swords high enough off the ground for him to reach out and catch them in his hands. "Now, let's be sure to go all out. I'd hate to leave things unsettled a second time." Without warning, Logan shot forward, propelled by the sudden burst of his spark steps to close the gap between them almost instantly. With the sword in his right hand, Logan lunged at Edmond's chest, but he also swung the one in his left around his back, letting the chain play out behind him. At the end of its arc, the sword would sweep around from Logan's right side, and if it came full circle, it would cut into Edmond from behind.

Gedo - School

Perhaps he'd misjudged her. Raphael had thought Maou to be merely a Master continuing the struggle to achieve some selfish desire at the expense of others, but it was clear that it was far worse than that.

This woman was dangerous. Not for her skill or strength or cunning, but for her mentality. She may not have the power of the homunculus, but in a way her mindset was far more dangerous than its.

He could see it in her eyes, the reflection of those crimson orbs in the silver flash of her blade. She was as determined as he was.

Raphael knew that was going to make things difficult. What was worse was that he knew he couldn't win this way. Though larger, stronger, and faster than his opponent, his Black Keys were weighted for throwing, not close-combat. That made the blades awkward to manipulate at close ranges; his opponent had no such handicap, evidently quite practiced in handling her sword.

But that could be worked with. All he had to do was manipulate the situation to his favor.
Raphael began to give ground, backing out of the dark hallway. He knew from when he'd entered the building that the front was lined with glass, and with the moon shining bright in the sky, he would have no problem getting her shadow to appear.

Thrusting his leg out in a powerful kick, Raphael's boot slammed into Maou, knocking her back enough to give him some distance. Quickly, the Executor dodged back, hurling his Black Keys at her as he shuffled back into the front hallway, pausing in the middle of the moonlit corridor to replenish his Black Keys and pause, tensing for his opponent to make her move.

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Jorg - Kaiserpfalz

It was a betrayal of the worst kind. Snatching victory from his hands, humiliating him before his enemies...

"Master..." Saber growled, looking incensed. But Annabelle ignored it callously.

"Don't throw a tantrum. It's your own fault anyway," she explained as she made her way quickly from the ruins before Caster had time to change her mind. "If you'd been strong enough to take her, I wouldn't have had to pull the plug."

It was like rubbing salt in a wound, and she knew it full well. But to even acknowledge such an accusation was beneath him, so he grudgingly entered spirit form beside his Master.

"This does change things though," Annabelle murmured. "We're going to have to approach this another way..."

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The walls... the walls were crumbling down.

Calisa could see Caster before her, looking upset and concerned, but she didn't want to believe it, didn't want to feel false hope.

"Caster..." she murmured, reaching out to touch her Servant.

Real... This is real.

The curse was broken, but those nightmarish visions threatened to resurface.

Because... they weren't an illusion. Not really. They were just her own fears projected before her. Caster could break the spell, but not banish the fears in her own mind.

"All this time..." Calisa whispered, shaking her head. Still there. They were still there. But why?
Maybe... maybe because all she had been doing was running. Not truly seeking responsibility for herself and the freedom to make her own choices, but simply trying to escape the chains of a painful and bitter past.

"I'm sorry," she said more clearly, looking up at Caster. "I shouldn't have fallen for such a thing. Especially when you needed me..."

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Payne, Noin - Rooftops/Streets

Marauder narrowed his gaze as he studied Lancer's form. She would be a difficult one to take down with a long-range style.

Undeterred his attacks, Lancer moved on the offensive once more, determined to close the distance between them.

"Persistent," he muttered. Well, he would just have to switch things up then.

His bow dispersed as he crouched, muscles tensed for the opening as Lancer stepped in for the strike. Springing upward, Marauder somersaulted over Lancer's head and kicked out behind, slamming his boots into her back. His feet had no sooner touched the ground before he backflipped toward her, two daggers in his hand as he slashed at Achilles tendon, then upward toward her collar bone.

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"Tch.."

It was obvious that Logan had never displayed all his abilities to the Cult of Eastwitch. But, fortunately for Edmond, that held true for him as well.

"Brute force then," the cultist muttered, retrieving the handle of a weapon from his pocket, the blade manifesting as his mana ran through it. Rather than attempt a defensive stance, Edmond dove straight into the attack, merely using his weapon to push away Logan's sword as he slammed his body into his opponent's, knocking them both to the ground as the other sword of Logan's sailed over head and lodged into the ground.

"Let's see how you like chains!" Edmond barked, rolling to his knees and thrusting his left arm forward as black chains shot from his sleeve around Logan's throat. The constricting force would be enough to choke him rather quickly, but patience was rapidly disappearing from Edmond's list of virtues. Instead, he jumped to his feet and sprinted forward, slashing his blade to take Logan's head from his shoulders.

"Your head will make a welcome gift for the Infernal Mother!" he taunted as he braced himself for the glorious fountain of his enemy's blood.

Illya - Kaiserpfalz

Caster held onto Calisa's hand and smiled a reassuring smile, she sighs in relief, even if Calisa was shaken, things like these were easily fixed.

"Really Calisa, you're such a pain."

Caster laughed jokingly.

"No matter how many times you fall, I'll always be there to help get up again."

Caster comforted Calisa, she didn't care how many times Calisa fell or lost, was it annoying? yes, was it bothersome? yes! But so long as she never gave up Caster would be there for her.

"Just rest Calisa, you did well today and tomorrow you will do even better."

Maou: Raphael [School]

The pain and pressure of the large man's boot. Her breath was knocked out of her, but that only made her muscles more ready to counter. Like a release of a tense spring, her arms outstretched and hands swung out. The sword met one black key. As if gaining force from the hit, the weapon effectively bounced and smashed into another and then a final Black Key. It would give a hint to her power as the opponent followed up his attack now that her weapon was lowered... But... instead he ran off. Bastard. A feeling of pain. She had been too careless smashing the last one to the ground, and now a painful nick was on her leg. Screw that priest. Why was he retreating so soon... No, they were coming out even. It was likely a trap. She picked up one of the weapons he used. The weight... it was definitely off. So he could easily fight at a range, huh? Then she'd have to lure him in. She discarded it and moved on, chasing after Raphael.

"Tch. Damn Priest. I didn't take you for one to use petty tricks in a fight." A sentence that could be interpreted in different ways depending on his intent. If he was up to something, her suspicion would give him pause and maybe reveal what he was up to. Maou hoped that was the case, because she could neither see nor sense anything in this hallway. "Are you aiming to catch sight of my panties or something you deviant disciple of god?" It was hardly meant to be taken seriously, but that comment was in no way playful. Her tone was full of malice and annoyance. She was simply insulting him. Provoking him.

Jorg - Kaiserpfalz

"Caster..."

She kept screwing up, but the Servant still insisted on remaining by her side. Such loyalty, when she had so little to offer...

"Thank you," Calisa said, smiling weakly. "But... there's something I need to settle first."

Schloss Eller... she needed to go there. No more running. It was time to put things behind her once and for all.

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Gedo - School

If Raphael was hiding something, he gave no such indication. In the middle of the moonlit hallway, he might as well have been carved from stone. The icy blue eyes watched as Maou moved steadily into the hallway, her shadow begging to creep behind her, as though trying to escape from him.

"I've thought of what you said at the church," he said gruffly, his eyes focusing on her single red orb. "And you were right. So I'll be sure to intercede even for you soul when you die."

Her footsteps stopped. Her shadow was perfectly situated.

Raphael sprang forward, Black Key in hand, directly at Maou. She probably figured by now that his style was not close combat and would expecting a trap.

Just not one aimed somewhere other than her.

He was just in range of her katana. The wrong timing would get him killed. She was far too good a swordsman to underestimate. The second he saw her arm move, he dropped to the ground, sliding past her as he drove his Black Key through her shadow to pierce into the ground. Quickly, he threw himself into a roll, moving out of reach of her sword as he came up, panting.

"Ready for confession?" he asked, pulling out a handful of Black Keys.

Maou: Raphael [Church]

She couldn't move.

Maou had been too busy looking for traps to expect a frontal charge. Let alone one that wasn't even aiming for her. Despite being on edge, she had wonderfully fallen to his plan. Surprised and baffled. Paralysis? But there were no poisons. He hadn't even hit her. He had struck behind her... At her shadow? Was that what this moonlight was for? But despite gripping her blade, she couldn't nullify this strange effect. ... Maybe it was just too far away. Maybe it wasn't considered magic. Whatever the case, she was trapped.

Confess? She smiled awkwardly. "If you actually let me confess, we'd be here long past morning. Besides..." The smile turned to a bittersweet one. She remembered the face of Shiyan Fu. That woman... she had known far too much. Meira... she probably didn't disappear in silence. "I've already confessed my life. The bad, and what little good there was. So get this over with. Though you know... I've never been to school."

A stir of air. It was strange. There wasn't window opened. And yet Maou's long green skirt rustled. That was the only warning before the Black Key clattered to the ground. Reaper's Grasp. Truly, it was like another hand. A magic affect air, causing it to move and grasp according to her will. Her body was now free. So it really had pinned down her shadow... completely ridiculous.

Raphael hadn't retreated a far enough distance, and now Maou was in front of him, sword raised with one hand. "So I'm not going to die here. Not for someone who only lives through others." The air made a thunderous roar as the weapon descended with full power. But... it was a feint.

The hilt of the sword was no longer in her hand. Although the power was terrifying, that sword had no support behind it. Meira's stance dropped as she spread and tensed her knees, rotating her waist. A full-power punch, a haymaker of an attack brought out from behind her body. A crashing blow with all of her power put into it, aimed for Raphael's chest to send him tumbling away.

But that too was a feint. If you could call such deadly attacks feints.

Her real goal was the other outstretched hand. Curled into a fist, it naturally stayed in front of her while she made her heavy attack.

Should both of those fail, it would travel the few inches needed to reach Raphael's side. And that too, was a full powered punch. And then, with ex-accel, blastblade, and flourish, there would be another full powered punch with twice the power and speed. And then it would double again within half the time. And again. All in the time it would take for Raphael to skid back from the first of the first blow.

Illya, Noin - Street

Finally, some progress...

Lancer lunged at Marauder, spear extended, only to have him tumble over her head. As his boots pressed into her back, she let her legs give out, twisting her lance to rest against both of her palms as she rolled forward. Just as she crossed her center of gravity, Lancer pushed off of the ground with her hands and brought her lance upward in between her closed fists, deflecting both of Marauder's jabs upwards and away from her body with the hard shaft.

As she landed on her feet again, Lancer swept her right leg around, pivoting to take a jab at Marauder's kidneys with the butt end of her spear.

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Chains? Logan would have laughed if he could produce the sound through constricted vocal chords. What did this magus standing before him know about chains? As the other man sprinted towards him, Logan whipped the chain in his left hand, creating a loop in the links lying on the ground. Just as Edmond's foot moved over it, Logan jerked upwards, catching the other man's ankle. With another swift jerk, he drew Edmond's foot forward, faster than the man's body could keep up with. The sudden change in body motion would either drop Edmond on his ass or force him into doing a forward split, neither of which would be very beneficial to his sword swing.

Logan didn't stop there though. As he pushed himself to his feet, he gripped the chains that were wrapped around his throat. The white flash of his teeth could be seen under his hood as he jerked them towards himself with enough force to throw Edmond over his head. If the other man wanted to talk about chains, he would be happy to teach him what it really meant to be chained to something...

Payne, Noin - Streets

Lancer's spear passed through thin air as Marauder leaped backward, falling into a dive roll before pulling out gracefully to his feet at the edge of the roof. He brought up his daggers before him, held reverse grip in his hands, but did not move to attack.

"Marauder," he said abruptly, tilting his head to regard her. It seemed he was not so certain anymore of a swift victory.

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Humiliation. It stung like a festering wound. The memory of the treachery done to their perfect plans, and now this...

Edmond's vision tilted abruptly as an unseen chain yanked his feet out from beneath him. He had no sooner hit the ground before he was suddenly being jerked upward and hurled into the air before crashing down again, his pride aching as badly as the bruises.

"Why?" he uttered miserably, half wine and half snarl. "Why do you try to undermine our glorious vision?"

It wasn't fair. How did fate keep managing to bring this interferer to ruin them?

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Gedo - School

The foreboding in the air had alerted Raphael a moment before the danger came. Even so, it still nearly stunned him when the Black Key was suddenly dislodged in a sudden, nightmarish reversal.

She was too fast for him to make a decisive move. But that didn't mean it was hopeless. Her attack would be painful, but bearable. And the force would knock him back, giving him just the opening he needed before she would inevitably follow up.

Bracing himself, Raphael dropped his guard at the last moment, taking the blow from her first directly in his chest. Even prepared as he was, it still hurt like hell, enough to nearly make him miss his opening as he saw her move in for the next attack.

But it was enough. Just barely. The cremation sacrament on his Black Key ignited as he threw it up into the ceiling above, bringing it crashing down between them.

That moment of weakness had caused a slight misjudgment in his timing. He had not cleared the blast as well as he had hoped, and only barely escaped being buried beneath rubble. Coughing and wincing, Raphael rolled into a crouch, surveying the damage.

It seemed unlike that Maou would have escaped the blast. Hopefully, she was currently buried beneath the wreckage, dead or dying. But he wasn't that optimistic. Still, it seemed like a good opportunity to cut his losses, regardless. Tentatively, the priest got to his feet, backing slowly from the hallway until, satisfied that there was no movement, he turned and left for the exit.

Maou (School)

As the dust began to clear, Maou coughed. That damn priest got away again. Well, she didn't particularly mind. But if Abbadon took it the wrong way... Well, she simply had to stay away for the night. The next time, Marauder and his master would have either failed or succeeded. Maou would either be needed, or the homunculus would be in a good mood.

With that, her hand rested in the rubble floating above her. Her other arm was dislocated at the shoulder from the explosion... and yet she still held onto her sword. ... "Really, the things you can do with magic are ridiculous." Several blue orbs could be seen amongst the large rubble. They locked it in place, preventing the call of gravity. Still, smaller chunks continued to fall. Maou made her way out of the overhanging rubble and searched for Raphael before giving up and heading home.

"Really... I finally have a shower and then I get covered in dust." What a pain in the ass.

Illya, Noin - Streets

Lancer raised an eyebrow at the Servant's introduction. It certainly hadn't seemed like the chatty type up until this point. So, she doubted it would provide any more information than that. Still, her honor compelled her to reply with a clipped, "Lancer."

She twisted her lance in one hand before stopping it perpendicular to the ground and throwing it to her other hand, almost as if she were thinking about her next move. Then, without any warning at all, she flicked the shaft downward, driving the spear end towards Marauder's skull. It was a feint though, and her wrist twisted as the spear came down, flipping it over to swing the butt end upwards, towards Marauder's chin.

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Logan might have answered his foe if his throat wasn't still constricted from the chains around it, but as it was, he didn't take the time to free himself and respond. No, at this time, the best course of action was to finish things swiftly. He twisted his hand once, wrapping the chains still attached to Edmond's foot around his wrist for better leverage, and with a sharp tug, he pulled the man towards him. With his other hand, Logan gave a sharp pull on the other end of the chains, flipping the sword on the end up and into his grasp. As Edmond tumbled towards him, Logan aimed the point at him and drove the blade towards the other man's abdomen, putting enough force behind the jab to drive his arm all the way through Edmond's torso if the blade stuck true.

Payne, Noin - Streets

Fool. Did he really expect that Edmond would simply sit and grovel on the floor while he gave his opponent time to react? He had working the chain loose on his leg - enough to keep it bound, but easy to slip out of when the time came. Like the predictable scum that he was, Logan inevitably tried to haul on the chain again, dragging the cultist along behind.

But just when he got close enough, Edmond slipped his foot from the loop, allowing the chain to slink ahead as Logan stabbed forward into the ground, just short of where Edmond had stopped. Quickly, the cultist grabbed the chain around Logan's neck and pulled hard, making the young man lurch forward onto the ground with a choke.

"Now, I'll gut you like a pig!" Edmond snarled, snatching for his sword, but a sudden movement through the air alerted him at the last moment to dive to the side as a Black Key sailed past and embedded in the nearby wall.

"Tch, you..." Edmond murmured, backing away as Raphael appeared, looking battered and worn, but intimidating nonetheless.

"This wasn't on my to-do list, but it saves me the time of having to look for you," the priest admitted, pulling out more Black Keys. Edmond backed away, knowing that the odds had severely decreased for him.

"You can run, but it won't do you much good. We will find you," the priest declared, his gaze cold and unyielding. But the cultist was more concerned with what the homunculus' response would be when he turned up empty-handed. Still, his chances of survival were better there than here.

"Marauder!" he ordered.

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Marauder's head snapped back as the butt end of Lancer's spear connected forcefully with his chin. The blow seemed to flip him over the edge of the roof toward the ground. But it was immediately apparent that this was more than just the result of her attack. As soon as his feet his the ground, Marauder launched himself down the street toward where his Master and Lancer's had been fighting. Like a black blur, Marauder launched himself into the street, hurtling daggers at both of Edmond's assailants.

This was no normal attack. Any attack by a Servant, even a casual throw of knives, was more than any mortal could take for granted. Both were forced to defend the bullet-like projectiles as Marauder scooped up his Master like a baby and launched himself to the roofs once more, escaping out of sight in a matter of moments.

"Hn..." Raphael growled. He would like nothing better than to pursue, but his body was already protesting any movement. Releasing the cultist from his mind, at least for the moment, he turned back toward Logan, tentatively watching the man. After their last encounter, he had no idea where they stood on all this.

[OOC: I'd like to wrap up the day in my next post.]

Maou [Bar]

Good... Evil... it doesn't matter. Everyone was people. Everyone was alive. Just... people being alive. With their hearts beating, minds greedily thinking, and bodies... moving. They were all movements. Rarely did people try to be good or evil. When they did, it was to prove themselves to others or themselves. So... to accomplish her goal... she needed to rewrite humanity. Control it. Like some kind of mad scientist working to create super soldiers... "Damn Nazis..."

Unfortunately, her new-world revelations were interrupted. "Ma'am, I think you've had enough for now." Maou's unfocused red eyes lazily searched for the speaker, but only saw his body. Her head lifted up from the bar, leaving a small trail of drool. "Nuh-uh. I keep the money flowing, you keep the brain-cell killing moose piss coming. That's how this conglomerate of greedy butt-dwelling monkeys called 'society' works." A brief silence as she slapped down another 20... no that was too much. 10. That should do. Another 10 euro bill onto the table. "... Okay, but I'm going to have to take your keys." Ahaha. Yeah of course. "And I'll be needing a receipt. ... ..." She made an awkward face as she shuffled through her pockets. "Ah... right... walked here. Cars too fancy... stands out. All the enemies would know where I am... not like they'd care... Stupid big time bosses. I'm only a mid-boss... no, I'm just a side-dungeon boss... not even late game bonus content... optional dungeon mid-boss... Ugh..." She grabbed the drink he poured, having glared at him to prevent him from dousing it with water. And then, perhaps for the thirteenth time this late, late evening, she drank.

To be honest, the bar tender was completely scared. It was these kind of women that scared him away from the 'fairer' sex. He had previously not cared what gender, but after quite a traumatic experience from a lady that had seemed so delicate... What was up with those eyes?! Some kind of new implant for the underground groups? The hell was with her scarred eye? Wasn't she young? Definitely younger than himself. And that... package. That was definitely some type of hilt sticking out of the cloth. Judging by the length, it wasn't just some little dagger either. He was definitely too scared to close the bar on her, even when it was three hours past that time. Well, at least she paid for her drinks. All of them. "... you don't have any... friends coming here... do you?"

Another death-glare, but it was completely ineffective against the man when he noticed that she couldn't even look straight at him. "I don't have friends."

...

...

"... Companions?

"NONE, alright?"

"... Uh... no enemies coming either?" He just wanted to make sure the place wouldn't get trashed because of some gang-fight.

"... They're all off getting into bar fights with each other... probably..." Her misty glance turned sideways. ... Was it... jealousy? Neither of them knew. "I'm just here to... get... something. Get... blech. I don't ... the word, okay? Not my first language..." She looked... pathetic. Maou felt pathetic. Over the course of the days she spent here, absolutely nothing had been accomplished. The bartender shuffled nervously. "Uh... I speak English." And she responded in English: "Also not my first Language." ... "Le Français?"

At this she actually winced a few seconds later. Not from the phrase itself, but probably from some memory best left forgotten. "... Second language." She didn't respond in French. It looked like she had sobered up some... so he poured her another drink. What kind of woman had walked into his bar? Definitely someone you wouldn't meet everyday. She spoke four languages... at least four. He had just brought up French because he knew a little of it. "I also speak Ancient Egyptian."

They both just smiled at each other. "Ahha, unfortunately that one's not on my repit... fancy word for list. That word." She laughed in an uproar for a few seconds, before quieting down. And so she drank once more. This time she left it half-finished. "Okay... I'm leaving."

They just stood there looking at each other. Then she tapped the table. The receipt. Right. After putting in all of her drinks and the stated tip, he gave it to her alongside her change. "Ah... thanks. Bye." She stood up, straightening herself out and grabbing her things. At first her footing was awkward, but by the time Maou reached the door, any trace of that was gone. She had left that awkwardness along with the glasses in the bar.

What type of woman had just walked out of that bar, the barkeeper thought.

Illya, Noin - Streets

Logan's eyes widened in surprise as he lurched forward, but he tucked his head before he hit the ground, rolling across his shoulders and ending the tumble in a crouching position, sword still held firmly in his grasp. It would seem that help had arrived though.

And then, just as quickly, more mayhem arrived as well. As the black knives darted towards them, Logan reached for the flaming halo still hovering over his head and tossed it into the midst of the blades. It exploded as it came into contact with one of them, scattering the knives off course, although they all retained enough forward momentum to burry themselves in the ground around Raphael and himself.

"Should I go after them?" Lancer asked as she dropped from the window of a nearby building. Logan shook his head in response and finally took the time to pry the black chains away from his throat, allowing much needed oxygen into his lungs as the swords in his hands slowly stretched back into chains and disappeared up his sleeves.

After a few gulps of air, Logan turned his gaze towards Raphael. "Well met, father. You have my thanks, although I would advise eliminating the target rather than saving me next time. Maybe that's just a sign of a kind soul though." He rasped as he turned down the street, motioning for Lancer to follow. "I'll be sure to return the favor, should we meet again." Logan called over his shoulder.

Payne, Noin - Streets

Raphael watched Logan depart before sighing and shaking his head. He supposed that was the closest thing he'd get to real gratitude from the Burial Agent.

Logan's words made sense, he supposed. In the immediate sense, killing Edmond and eliminating Ravager would have had more noticeable effect. But he had a feeling he'd be needing Logan again for long. He was willing to accept the idea that free will had its place in the order of things. But he wasn't quite willing to rule out the movement of a higher will... and he felt certain Logan placed into it.

"We will..." he murmured, his lips twitching in something almost like a smile before turning and walking off into the night.

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Schloss Eller

The remnants of Schloss Eller were nearly unrecognizable in the devastation wrought by Caster. But Calisa could still place every brick of it during the time she'd spent there.

She felt something lingering at the edge of her conscience, but had refused to acknowledge it until now. Despite the curse being broken by Caster, Calisa could still feel the fears and doubts attempting to claw their way to the surface. And now, she allowed them out, manifesting as her father and brother like ghostly apparitions in the desolate ruins.

"I'm not going back," she said firmly.

All this time... All this time, she'd just been running.

"I finally get," Calisa sighed. "I may have gotten away physical, but my mind was still held back, trapped by fears and doubts, but no more."

She turned her gaze up toward the sky, twinkling faintly with stars. The sight was peaceful and calming.

"You can capture me, lock me up, hide me away forever, but it won't change anything. Cause you can't break my spirit. I won't be a slave anymore - not to you, and not to my fears. It's over."

When she cast her eyes back across the ruins, the figures were gone. Finally... finally, she felt the last pages turn on that chapter of her life. She was moving on, no longer held back. As Calisa walked back toward Kaiserpfalz, her footsteps felt lighter than they ever had before. She was experiencing true freedom for the first time.

It was inevitable that tomorrow would bring more difficulties. But whatever came, Calisa was prepared to face it head-on.

What is pain to one who exists alone?

No wound was ever inflected and no illness was ever caught. And yet a unmistakable pain would not leave her alone.

She wasn't dying or defecting, she was as she's always been, perfect. So why did she cry? Why could she not bear to look at others? Why was it so painful? No physical harm could ever be equal to it.

The agony of having no one to look at, to talk to, to touch and feel. The despair of watching others oblivious of her. This was not what she wanted, when she chose this path, this result was not what was promised.

Hatred boiled inside her as she gave birth to it, she would not stand there and merely watch as other indulge in their happiness, the happiness she was denied will not come without a cost.

Isolation is a horror unlike any known, no lights, no sound, just dark death cold. Not even the fearless could ever be prepared for the monstrosity born from it.

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Jorg - Kaiserpfalz

Spoiler:

In the crisp, morning air, Calisa sat on a fragment of wall in the courtyard of Kaiserpfalz, her heart feeling light as a wordless melody escaped from her lips, ringing through the empty ruins. With the relieving of her burdens came a renewed interest in the songs that had kept her spirits going in the past.

This one was different though. It was not born from her own thoughts and feelings, but those of another. A wordless ballad to  the tragic woman who had defied the chains that bound her.

"Lilith," she thought, trilling the notes both beautiful and melancholic.

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Gedo - Church

What separated one from life and death? Was it the body's ability to function - to move, eat, and breathe? Or was it having a purpose to fulfill.

If it was the latter, then was the homunculus really alive yet? It did not live for a purpose; it's purpose was to live.

But what purpose could it fulfill? It hardly knew or understand life or the world around it. It had just fought to preserve itself on instinct. And no one... no one would reach out to help it.

Caster... that was the one person it had thought might understand, but she had cast its thoughts, its hopes, its feelings aside like rubbish.

"Why?" Abaddon murmured, staring past that shattered remnants of the stained glass windows. "Why can't anyone accept me?"

Would it spend its whole life running and alone? For the first time, its primitive instinct to survive and the raw, ingrained hatred of those who had sought to use it gave way to a strange, bitter emptiness. Was this loneliness?

No... it hated this feeling. It would bury it with hate and revenge if it had to. Those who had scorned it would be the first to die, then those who had tried to use it.

"Edmond," Abaddon said coldly, regarding the prostrate figure. "I'm weary of useless helpers. So far, you and your cult have done nothing to aid me."

"My lord, I-" Edmond tried to  speak, but the homunculus quelled him with a frosty glare.

"I'm going to retract my gift," Abaddon said, rising from the steps of the altar. Edmond paled, not daring to resist as the homunculus held out its hand in expectation for Edmond's own. With a surprisingly strong, icy grip, the homunculus squeezed  Edmond's hand, retracting the Command Spells from his follower's body. Ignoring the useless follower, it turned instead to Maou, standing watchfully in the corner.

"A Servant of your own again," the homunculus said, holding out its hand to her. "I expect you'll take better care of this one than the last."

--------------------

Payne, Noin - Apartment

The sun had risen in the east, bringing brilliant streaks of red and gold across the horizon. And still, Saber's mood had not improved. The humiliation of the previous night burned in chest like a broiling flame.

Annabelle had ignored him, leaving him to brood by the window as she set to work, bringing out a series of tomes to scroll through. Evidently, the loss had not affected her mood at all.

They were alike in some ways. All that mattered was results to them. But while Saber would not accept bad results, Annabelle would merely search for a different angle in which to try again.

"She must be very ancient," the young girl said, sitting at the table as she scrolled through page after page. "Even a magus from the Age of the Gods shouldn't have that level of power..."

The more she searched, the more the myths and histories began to narrow toward an inevitable end.

Right at the beginning.

"I see..." Annabelle murmured, nodding. It all made sense now. Sighing, she stood and began to prepare to head out.

"Where are you going?" he spoke at last, his voice a growl. Annabelle set off toward the door, impervious to his foul mood.

"To Lancer, of course."

Illya - Kaiserpfalz

Caster's name echoes in the ruins with no immediate response found or heard. Only after a minute of so did steps finally begin, one by one the sound got closer until the door opened and Lilith appeared.

"Yes? What is it Calisa?"

Lilith moved closer and as she got closer a detail became apparent, Lilith was using an eyepatch for whatever reason, small amounts of dried blood visible around the patch.

Illya, Noin - Yacht

"Of course..." Logan rasped into the phone, resting his arm on the wall and his forehead on his forearm. "Yes, I'm aware of it."

"I don't think that's the best course of action."

"Frankly? I don't know anymore."

"Understood. The Father be with you in your journey..."

He cradled the receiver with a growl and stalked to the couch. This wasn't good... Not good at all... The Agency had determined that the homunculus itself was to be added to his list of persons unworthy of attaining the Grail. Go figure. How was he supposed to keep the Grail itself from exercising the Grail's powers?

Lancer frowned at him from the other side of the counter, but she didn't say anything. Obviously, she'd heard enough of the conversation over the phone to know how foul his mood was right now.

At least Raphael would be happy about all of this...

Maou: Abadon [Church]


Maou could not help but feel something in her heart. This creature was so pitiful. It was not brought about by the world, but instead man. It was not powered by man, but instead the world. The Devil's base nature could not think of what to decide. So she decided using her heart. Maou strode for the Homunculus as it offered her power. Whatever she decided, Maou knew that Abbadon would need to be used. Destroyed. Taken. So the least she could do...

Instead of putting her hand in Abbadon's, Maou raised both of her own and enclasped the outstretched hand, as if it had been seeking help. The least this devil could do was to try and make this thing in front of her happy. Even if it lived on powerless, Maou would try to keep it alive. If not, she would at least make Abbadon feel alive. Feel happiness, at least once. "Keep the energy for yourself. I'll be content enough to work with your son." Yes. These servants the homunculus made were undeniably its children. And yet, this thing was a child itself. "Abbadon... if I could give you anything, it would be happiness. Happiness is life itself. It is not something someone as evil as I can grasp. "

Maou pulled the thing forward and embraced it in her own warmth. A hug. To be held. There was no child that had never been held, even Maou herself, except for the one she held now. "But you are not evil Abbadon. You have just been robbed of love. Of light. It is those who fight hardest for freedom that are never free. Stop thinking you're fighting for life. You are already alive, Abbadon. If you must fight, realize that it is easier to fight for something other than survival. Find a home. Find happiness. Find hope."  Maou squeezed tight, unsure of her own embrace. She had never held someone like this. "Only you can determine whether you are truly alive, or dead. Nothing anyone ever does to you can be as terrible as what you do to yourself. You must accept that everythings dies. There is no fairness. That is the bitter unchangeable law of life. It just is. So, let me give you a blessing."

The tall woman stepped back slightly, hands on the Homunculus's shoulders. The warmth of her presence and words were not in her eyes. Maou's eyes held bitterness and anger, jealousy and at the same time pity. She was, after all, accepting of the fate she had. Of the position of evil that was needed. Her head dipped, forehead resting on Abbadon's own. Those painful eyes closed. "When everything around you seems conspiring to tear out your heart and your mind, or show you that there is nothing but power and survival, remember me. Remember that although I cannot change my own goals or actions to acheive those, I will wish for your happiness. Even if you can not love me, even if I can not love you, comfort yourself with the simple fact that I would be accepting of such things. Even should you despise me, I will accept those feelings. That is my blessing. Hold it as an absolute truth. With a courage as deep as despair, remember me... and you shall never be alone."

Maou could not open her eyes or move. The words she spoke were ones she longed to hear. Ones she could never accept herself.

Jorg - Kaiserpfalz

Calisa's notes trailed off as she heard Caster's approach. She smiled as her Servant responded to the name she'd uttered, not realizing the intention.

"Nothing," she said, smiling as she turned toward Caster. "Just the inspiration of my song."

Her smile faltered, however, as she caught sight of Caster - her strange demeanor, the eyepatch on her face, the dried blood around the corners.

Immediately, Calisa stood up, her face growing pale. It didn't seem conceivable that anyone could harm Caster, but what other explanation could there be?

"Caster, what happened?" she asked, taking tentative steps toward the other woman, her face etched with concern.

--------------------

Payne, Noin - Boat

Their arrival couldn't have been a surprise. Annabelle hadn't cloaked her presence as she and Saber drew near in their boat, and Saber would, no doubt, have been sensed some distance away by Lancer.

"Let's be civil," she reminded her Servant, aware that Saber's temperament was even more suspect than usual. Stepping out of their rented boat onto the floating base of Lancer and her Master, Annabelle made sure not to exude any type of threatening presence that could be misconstrued as an attempt at aggression.

"Master of Lancer," she said clearly, looking about the vessel. "I wish to speak with you."

--------------------

Gedo - Church

Unexpected. Most unexpected.

Abaddon stared at its outstretched hand, encased by Maou's own. The offer of power spurned, only to be returned with a wish... a wish for happiness.

Engulfed in a sudden warmth, the homunculus could do naught but fix its eyes ahead in a blank stare, unable to comprehend what was happening.

These words of hope... of happiness... of peace... of acceptance... Never had it thought it would hear them directed toward itself. Even as Maou pulled away, Abaddon continued to stare, its slender form trembling slightly.

"I..." it murmured, turning its gaze toward the ground. "...don't know what to say."

Was this gratitude? Was it so desperate for acceptance of its existence that just these words made its whole body ache.

"Thank you," Abaddon said at last, turning away to hide its face. The swirling torrent of emotions was difficult to understand, much less react on.

"Orders, my lord?" Edmond said abruptly, his eyes fixed venomously in Maou's direction. The homunculus straightened up, pulling its thoughts back onto the tracks.

Yes, orders... By now, Saber would be approaching Lancer for help. With the seed of doubt planted, Saber would assume that Caster had fallen in with it. But Lancer might not accept that... so they would have to push the idea a bit more.

"Marauder," Abaddon said, its voice clear once more. "Ambush the meeting, then retreat toward Kaiserpfalz. Let them sense you go."

Marauder nodded, then vanished from view as the homunculus turned toward Maou.

"Saber and Lancer will need to kill Caster, then turn on each other. You and Marauder should be able to balance the tide of battle to make sure that no one ends up leaving Kaiserpfalz tonight."

It was dangerous. The homunculus knew that to value anyone else was to jeopardize its chances of survival. It could not afford to care for Maou. And yet, it was unable to contain the note of concern in its voice for her well-being. With the four Servants gathered, the stakes would be high, and the death count decidedly higher.

Maou: Abbadon & Edmond (Church)

A deep sigh, and Maou was back to her regular self. At least, on the outside. "Caster, Saber, and Lancer..." She had met Caster and witnessed Saber's power. If Lancer was still alive, then that servant would be just as threatening, whether in power or intellect. Maou had spoken of such crazy things not a moment before. Life... Happiness... It took courage to live, and courage to fight your fate. But Maou was a lovestruck coward. She couldn't act in her own interests. She could only put her all in for the World that had made her so, hoping it loved her in return. She had no hope for herself. Whether days or ages from now, she would die. All the woman could hope for would be that her death mattered. She could not hope for happiness.


Maou could not help but have on a grin. To put everything on the table, to use the limits of her magic body that she had never used... a festival of reaping. She'd take everything those there had to offer, or take her own life. Everything was going to dissapear. Instead of fighting the feeling like usual, she let it pervade her mind. Whatever humanity she had shown, the kindness and casualness of prior days... she let it quickly be overwhelmed.

There would be no mercy to herself, nor to those who stood around her.

Illya - Kaiserpfalz

Caster's raises the eyebrow from her visible eye before realizing where Calisa's concern came from. Quickly she calms Calisa down.

"Hahaha, it's nothing, you just caught me while I was cleaning stuff."

She raises her and opens it revealing a trinket of sorts. It was a golden crystal ball, almost like one of those marbles kids used to play a few generations back, though it was bigger, the size of an eyeball, a string was also attached to it in a loop. It was necklace.

"Anyway I made this for you, it's a mystic code I made, it will neutralize magecraft thrown at you. Since what happened last night, I figure it wouldn't harm to give you something to better protect you when I can't. That said it's not invisible. It will break eventually and depending on what it's stopping."

Caster explain her creation to Calisa.

Illya, Noin - Yacht

"Perhaps you would like words with me..." Logan's voice rasped from where he stood at the rear of the yacht, overlooking the water. "But I don't recall wishing for words with you, nor do I recall inviting you onto my ship." He turned and leaned back against the railing, looking over the pair of them.

"Perhaps if I knew who I was speaking to, I might be more open to conversation." He suggested, although the tone of his voice sounded as if he was doubtful of his own words. Who was this girl, and what reason did she have to be accompanying Saber? He had a general idea, but it seemed unlikely that Dowth would be unwilling to meet him face to face after their last conversation had ended peacefully.

Jorg - Kaiserpfalz

Calisa pursed her lips suspiciously at Caster's explanation, but didn't comment on it. In any case, her attention was distracted by the beautiful golden orb placed into her palm, shimmering in the sunlight.

"It's beautiful," Calisa breathed, cradling it in her hands. "Thank you."

She felt guilty that she had caused Caster such distress, but at least she could feel satisfied that it wouldn't happen again. Not like that.

Pushing that aside, Calisa took caster's hand and led her to the makeshift seat where she had been singing.

"Well, the Games shouldn't last much longer," she said cheerily. "We should start planning what to do afterward. Maybe a trip?"

It was a bit preemptive, of course, but it would give them both something to look forward to in the days after.

"I really want to see the ocean," Calisa admitted, smiling. "I've heard the Mediterranean is breathtaking. Did you ever venture there?"

Calisa was not overly familiar with Caster's past. And to look it up in some books seemed intrusive. It would be best to get it from Caster herself, whenever she felt open.

--------------------

Payne, Noin - Boat

It was a bit surprising, though not entirely unexpected. Annabelle studied Logan for a moment before letting out a tiny sigh.

"I guess you're a bit out of the loop, Master of Lancer," she replied, holding up her arm to reveal Saber's Command Spells branded on her flesh. "That should explain things."

It certainly did, though probably not as clearly as Logan would have liked. Annabelle could see that right away, but she was tiring of formalities.

"I'll give you the whole story once we sit down," she said, brushing past him and making her way inside. Her eyes found the table inside, lingering with mild distaste for a moment before seating herself and waiting for him to do the same.

"I'm Annabelle Dowth. You knew my grandfather, I'm sure," she began. "You may not, however, have been aware that he was only Saber's acting Master. I was supplying the Servant's mana from the start. I decided I didn't like the arrangement, so I took Saber for myself."

If Logan was surprised, he was rather good at hiding. Still, she could sense the question forming and addressed it preemptively.

"He's still alive, if that's what you're wondering," she added. "I didn't see much point in killing him once I had what I needed."

Explanations were tiresome, and from Saber's growing restlessness hovering around her, she could sense the feeling was mutual.

"In any case, I'm here to discuss an alliance against Caster," Annabelle said, cutting to the chase.
--------------------

Gedo - Church

Abaddon could see a change come over Maou's expression. It was the same hungry expression that had made it wary of her from their first encounter. But still...

"Don't disappoint me," the homunculus said quietly. It was different than its usual tone. Did it just mean successfully defeating its enemies... or was there more to it than that? Could it possibly mean that for her to fail, and thus die, would be of distress to it? Even Abaddon could not be entirely sure.

"Master?" Edmond prompted, awaiting his commands. Abaddon turned its gaze coldly toward the cultist, appraising him for a moment before waving its hand dismissively.

"You'll remain here to guard over me. For all the good that will do."

Edmond flinched, the reprimand stinging in more ways than one. His thoughts naturally returned toward Maou, and he gazed at her with unveiled malice.

Whatever her game was... it would not interfere with his plans.

Illya, Noin - Yacht

Logan's gaze darkened at the sight of Anabelle's command spells. This changed things... And this contest had already taken enough crazy turns for his tastes.

He bristled slightly as Annabelle let herself into the cabin, but considering the visit he'd recently paid Dowth, Logan considered this his just desserts. Without a word, he followed her inside the cabin. Perhaps pinning himself in an enclosed space with Saber wasn't the best plan available, but the girl was taking the same risk with Lancer being around.

Taking the seat across the table from her, Logan listened to Annabelle's story, and he'd thought that he did a good job of schooling his features, but apparently, something slipped through because she quickly noted that her grandfather was still alive only a moment after he wondered it to himself.

"I see you lack the tact that your grandfather possessed by the bucket..." Logan said thoughtfully, his gaze slowly searching over the girl, as if he were weighing his options. "But, considering how tiring it can be to wade through the mess of social bullcrapping before getting down to business, I don't suppose that's a bad thing in this case."

He allowed the room to fall into silence for another moment, calculating his next move while Annabelle and Saber stewed. "What exactly do you have in mind?" Logan finally asked, tapping his index finger on the arm of the couch. "You seem fairly direct. So, I doubt you came here without a plan prepared. Let me hear it, and I'll decide if it's a worth venture for me."

Payne, Noin - Boat

This alliance could work. It was obvious that Logan had as little patience for word games and formalities as she did.

Annabelle tilted her head slightly at Logan's assessment, watching him closely.

"Tact and social machinations didn't get him very far, did they? I'm not eager to repeat his mistakes."

The fact that Logan was even listening to a proposal meant that he was open to the idea. As long as she sold it properly, there shouldn't be an issue.

"Not much of a plan, really," Annabelle said with a shrug. "Straightforward. We team up to kill Caster, then battle it out head-on for the Grail. I think we'd both prefer that sort of confrontation."

That was likely true, given the two knight-class Servants involved. But it probably wasn't enough to get Logan invested.

"It's a matter of survival, however," Annabelle continued. "We can't defeat Caster alone. I doubt you can either. So we'll need to work together, or else we'll both die alone."

Annabelle seemed to be silently communicating with her Servant, who manifested a moment later, looking highly disgruntled.

"Her Noble Phantasm," he began without introduction, looking off to the side. "It negates magic resistance. I would be dead were it not for my own Noble Phantasm."

Annabelle gave a faint sight and looked Logan directly in the eye.

"I'll say it straight out. You were all fools for letting Caster go for this long. She's amassed so much power at this point that even together I'm not certain we can win. But it is our only shot."

She glanced at Saber for confirmation, but he refused to acknowledge the possibility that he could not win alone. Annabelle nearly rolled her eyes, were she capable of such obvious displays of exasperation.

"Oh, and you should know that she's cooperating with the homunculus," the young girl added. "I saw it at Kaiserpfalz before we attacked."

Annabelle leaned back in her chair, surveying her potential ally. She'd laid down all the cards. It was up to him what to do with them.

--------------------

It was madness. Sheer madness. He could never hope to get inside Kaiserpfalz without Caster noticing, but what choice did he have?

Self-preservation. That's what he'd always done, how he'd always lived. But that was because of her... and what she'd done.

Now there was a chance. Perhaps a fool's hope, but hope nonetheless. All this needn't have been meaningless. He could reclaim the life he might have - no, should have - had.

"Calisa..." Dowth murmured, fixing his eyes on the ruins. Saber and Annabelle would return, and then it would be too late. He had to get her out now. It was now or never.