The Grail Games IC

Illya, Noin - Yacht

Logan grunted in response to Annabelle's assessment of the alliance, leaning back into his seat. "Straightforward hardly seems like a good approach against an opponent who can simply lay waste to both Master and Servant if given a clear shot." He said slowly, giving himself time to process the information that Saber and Annabelle had just relayed. If the homunculus was working with Caster, that definitely changed things, and not in a good way.

"Are you sure that it completely negates magic resistance, rather than simply cutting through it to some degree?" He directed the question at Saber, not wanting to mention Caster's obvious weakness to Annabelle and putting a target over Calisa's head in the same breath. Still, things were quickly beginning to reach the point of no return where that was considered. He saw the woman as a sort of kindred soul, the type of person he tried to shield from the world he lived in, but once you dove into the shades of gray that swirled through the magi world, you could never be totally clean of the murk and mire. If the mission required it, he would have no other choice than to stain his hands once more with the shadows that still clung to his soul.

"Also, if you're aware of the homunculus' actions, then I suspect you're also aware of the fact that even if one of us wins, we're highly unlikely to get our way afterwards. With the power of the Grail at its disposal, what's to stop it from simply absorbing the final Servant and using the wish for itself? A plan for Caster, I can help improvise, but I see no point in eliminating her until I can be assured that there's even still a chance for personal victory."

Illya - Kaiserpfalz


Caster smiled at Calisa's forgetfulness.

"Calisa, we have all the time in the world to think about that after the war is over."

Caster sighed, she enjoyed Calisa's confidence but it seemed like she could fully understand how the mood was. Had Calisa been talking like this yesterday, Caster would have happily went along, but right now isn't the best time. Saber escaped knowing what she's capable off, no doubt his Master will search for Lancer's help. It's not like Lancer's Master particularly likes her anyway.

"I haven't..."

Caster said flatly.

"I avoided coasts at my time because people tended to lurk in them..."

Caster voice felt sour at this. She really did enjoy water, however humans were drawn into the coasts, even today most major cities are in the coast. As such Caster avoided them all together.

"I thought to myself that by doing that it would prevent problems from happening. But it seems that that action ended having an unfortunate side-effect."

Payne, Illya - Boat

Lancer had materialized only a second after Saber had. She stood off to the side with her arms crossed. If she was unhappy with the presence of Saber or Annabelle, it didn't show on her face.

Silently she listened to the conversation taking place. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" she asked Logan, keeping their conversation private, away from Saber and his Master. She sighed. Rationally it probably made the most sense. She had seen how powerful Caster could be. If only there wasn't the added problem with the homunculus.

"I suppose it can't be helped," her voice finally sounded in Logan's head. "You better make sure she can't backstab you. I don't trust either of them. Her bright eyes never left Saber, watching his every move.

Payne, Noin - Boat

Saber pondered the unexpected question from Logan, thinking back on the battle with Caster.

"It's like an acid," he said slowly. "It seemed to seep past my defenses and strike beneath."

Perhaps it wasn't quite accurate to say it negated it completely. If that were the case, he wouldn't have been able to last as long as he had.

Annabelle nodded slowly to this assessment, from what she'd observed, before turning back to Logan.

"I'm aware, but I don't see any point in not trying. I never really had hopes to begin with. If I can grasp the Root... It might prove interesting. If not, I'm not worse off than if I hadn't tried."

She could see that she was beginning to lose him. He'd largely played on the fence this whole time, so even at the end he was reluctant to cast his lot in with one side or another. But she could change that.

"What makes you think that she won't try to eliminate you?" the other Master said with a shake of her head. "Her final weapon is already complete. She'll turn this whole city into a withered husk before long. It's her nature, after all."

"Let's go, Master," Saber said abruptly, dismissing them with his back. "It's obvious that these fools can't be reasoned with."

Saber was a brash idiot. She didn't think that for the first time. But perhaps his style would suit their purposes for the moment.

"Very well," she said, standing from the table. "But keep in mind that this isn't any ordinary opponent. This is a true demon - Lilith. If the homunculus lends her its power, there's no hope for anyone."

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

Jorg - Kaiserpfalz

Calisa knew that there would be plenty of time to make plans after the Games... if they made it. But the anticipation is what made it fun, almost as fun as the activity itself.

Caster probably wouldn't understand that, however. Not with the life she'd led.

"What side-effect?" Calisa asked, her expression softening sympathetically as Caster spoke of her past. She knew it was a difficult subject for the Servant, and didn't want to press it more than Caster was willing to open up.

Illya, Noin - Yacht

Logan nodded thoughtfully at Saber's assessment of Caster's magic. It was an interesting development, but if instead of simply ignoring magic resistance, it ate it away at a given pace, he could use that to their advantage. Was he really contemplating this alliance? No, it wasn't an alliance, simply an age old agreement. The enemy of my enemy is my ally...

He frowned at Annabelle's words, transmitting his thoughts to Lancer. I'm actually fairly sure that this is a terrible idea, but she's going to try it whether we help or not, and I'd rather be in a position with some measure of control over the situation. Your assessment is correct though. From this point on, trust isn't something we can afford to hand over blindly, especially to other Masters.

Lilith... His mind went blank at the word. Was it possible? Could that even happen? No... But if it could...

"You're the one being unreasonable." His voice rattled through the cabin as Saber had turned to leave. Logan's gaze drifted to the girl standing next to him. "Are you sure it's her?" She didn't have to answer. The look in her eyes said it all. Damn and double damn...

"Perhaps your grandfather is a bit long-winded for the both of us, but he did at least know that you have to properly plan before you strike. If it's truly Lilith, then I'll need time to prepare. Simply walking in through the front door is suicide. Even you should know that." He directed the last phrase at Saber, turning his sharp gaze to the Servant for added effect.

"You may be right in the fact that we'll only get one shot at this, and if you want my participation, then we do it my way. If you can agree to that, I'll be waiting for you at the bridge over the river at sundown. Otherwise, I'll assume you went off half-cocked and deal with the aftermath one way or another."

Illya - Kaiserpfalz

"Have you ever heard the rumor of 'Witches melt in water.'?"

Caster asks Calisa a little grim, in medieval time one of the ways to know if one was a witch was by drowning them, it was a stupid theory, it was said witches melt in water, but never how long it took, so people would just leave the women in the water for ever, end of the story, since a human needs to breath, they always died. It was an unfair test.

"Apparently that originated from, since I avoided rivers, lakes and seas, people began to make rumors that I detested water or was afraid of it. Eventually it got so twisted that people thought water would kill me."

Caster explained the connection, it was a stupid logic, humans like to see order and reason in everything, even in things out of their understanding, and that tends to create misunderstandings.

"Though I suppose even if I didn't do that, people would just find something else to twist."

Payne, Noin - Boat

Saber bristled with indignation at Logan's words, but Annabelle only gave a slight turn of her lips in what appeared to be a gesture of satisfaction.

"I'm glad we're on the same page," she said softly, nodding. "Very well. We'll let you take the lead."

With that, she turned to leave for the boat, but Saber lingered for a moment, his eyes searching for where Lancer stood, invisible to the two humans.

"Let's rid the playing field of this skulking witch," he said, eyes glinting with dark pleasure. "Then I'll enjoy besting you in combat, Lancer."

With that, he took to spirit form to follow his Master.

"For the record, I don't like the idea of cooperation," he told Annabelle sullenly as they set off for the shore. "I relied on allies once. One got himself drowned like a fool, and the other stabbed me in the back."

"For the record, I don't care," Annabelle replied airily. "If they can help us kill Caster, that's all that matters."

Saber glared at her, but made no reply. His little Master... perhaps her grandfather's weakness had been distasteful, but this girl's lack of respect for him was grating. Still, they did have a similar mindset, at least. Results wash away the path to get there. It wouldn't matter how they did it, as long as they won.

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

Jorg - Kaiserpfalz

Bitterness, resentment, hurt... Calisa still heard them in Caster's voice as she spoke.

[i]"After all this time..." Calisa thought, eyes softening. It was terrible to think that the emotional wounds dealt to her could have been so deep as to leave scars still visible to this day.

"Is this really okay, Caster?" she asked quietly. "Staying in this world? If you hate humanity so much..."

They were friends. Caster said so. She said she would be content to be by Calisa's side. But could anyone be happy living in a world they despised?

Payne - Boat

Lancer watched Saber and his Master leave the boat without commenting. She wasn't going to let that arrogant Servant provoke her.

Once they were gone, she relaxed slightly and sat down.

"So…Lilith it is…" she said. "That sure is a monumental task." Turning to face Logan, she crossed her arms. "What do you have in mind so far?" she asked. "I can't really hold back against her and neither will or can Saber. You saw his face."

Lancer paused thoughtfully as if remembering something. "Are you sure you're ready to face that girl?" she asked, referring to Calisa.

Noin - Yacht

Logan took a deep breath as Lancer began to speak, sinking further back into the couch. "Yeah... We'll have to go all out for this one." He let his head drop to the back of the seat, looking up at the roof of the cabin.

"I've always been ready to face her, or anyone else like her." There was a sadness in his voice that almost gave it a warm tone instead of a crackling one. "It's the reason I'm so good at what I do. No matter who the enemy is, I can convince myself to deal with them if it's for the greater good..."

With a sigh, he pushed himself back to his feet and walked over to the counter, resting his palms on it to face Lancer. "Still, I'd prefer to deal with the situation by removing Lilith from it instead. She's already proven that she can last for a time without a Master. So, it's not unthinkable that she would simply find another if Calisa was removed from the equation, and then, we'd be right back where we started.

To beat someone like Lilith, you have to surprise her though... I get the feeling Saber has already shown her all his tricks. So, that means we'll have to be the ones playing the cards."

Maou [Church]
The rush of water. The cold splash on her face. The weight of soaked hair. In her mind, she was amidst a torrent of falling water. Thoughts, worries, feelings and above all else fear pounded against her defenseless form. She had always just ignored them. Braved the waters. Endured the pain. At first they were just a light drizzle, but as her life moved on, the amount of water increased. The weight multiplied. In the end, the woman who had to endure that pain could no longer do it. She had effectively killed herself, and made Maou take position under the waterfall. Whether it was for her dreams or to end it all, whatever the case Meira had run away from reality. Maou would not. The morbid steel locked between her thighs reminded her of the things to come. And her eyes opened.

Her location was nothing more than the bathroom. The cold waterfall was nothing more than a cold shower. She drew her sword from out between her legs and watched the reflection. Her eyes didn't even blink when the water splashed off and hit those crimson orbs. That inside the reflection was both dream and reality. A beast made from dreams embodied in a trained and harsh body with an unforgiving mind. That waterfall no longer mattered. It had been cut asunder, doomed to the fate of everything that stood in her way. Cut asunder, split in twain, never to regain its form again.

Magus, Servant, God or child of, it didn't matter. It didn't matter if she had no strength in her arms, no breath in her lungs, or no prana to cast. She had been given this opportunity by the world itself. She had been formed into what was necessary. A sharpened blade with no equal. Heroes of old or monstrosities of the present...

Those red eyes in that reflection. There was no room for doubt. No mercy. No regret.

Her course of action was decided.

The Demon King was on the path of conquest, the world on her shoulders.

Payne - Boat

"You don't sound sure. It must get lonely feeling that way," Lancer said, raising her eyebrows at Logan. "You better make sure that doesn't come back when you're finally facing her."

Lancer stood up. "Let's get ready," she said. "Neither will be easy to beat." Her eyes became a little bit darker. "You just leave Lilith to Saber and me."

Noin - Yacht

Logan shrugged at Lancer's words, not letting anything show on his face. "I long ago accepted the consequences of what I do. Dealing with the Master of Caster will be the easier of our two jobs, even if it is the more distasteful of the them." He pushed away from the counter, snatching the phone off the top of it.

"Lift up a prayer for me too partner." Logan said as he turned to leave the cabin. "I'll be saying some of my own, but a little extra help can't hurt."

Once outside, he punched a series of keys on the phone and waited for an answer.

"It's me..."

He leaned against the railing, letting out a long sigh.

"I might have an Eden level problem on my hands here."

Logan grimaced at the words coming back through the receiver.

"I wouldn't have brought it up if I wasn't sure. You and I both know what the consequences of crying 'wolf' are. I'm going to try and deal with it tonight, but if you don't hear back from me by noon tomorrow, you know what has to happen."

He cut the connection and started moving towards the bow of the yacht. Tonight, he wouldn't be a magus in a Grail War. No, tonight, he would be what he'd always been, what he always would be... The Vatican's blood-stained hands.

Illya - Kaiserpfalz


Caster looks at Calisa and questions her doubts, she was sure this was already discussed before, but it didn't matter, Caster was fine with repeating this particular answer.

"No, no. I don't hate it...some of it at least. This era interests me, though weak and ignorant they look much more lovable than those from my time."

Modern era was different from her's, just the fact that women were had equal rights in this era already spoke well of it for Caster.

"Plus, even if I do end up hating it, I'll be fine so long as you're around."

Jorg - Kaiserpfalz

Calisa smiled at Caster's response. They might not have anything else in the world or anywhere else to go, but at least they had each other.

"Good," she said, taking Caster's hand. "Then the sea it is! We'll have to find some nice bathing suits then."

Caster looked confused, but Calisa wagged her finger.

"No magic-ing them. After all, finding one is the fun part."

Silly, light-hearted, and frivolous... yes. But that's what she wanted. Fun for both of them.

"Sunny days ahead... that's what see," Calisa said softly, smiling. "One step at a time, but we'll get there."

The horizon had begun to take on a stunning array of blues, purples, pinks, and reds as the sun made its way toward the horizon. Calisa sighed as she watched its descent for a moment before turning to face the gates.

Sunny days ahead... but first, they would have to get through the dark night.

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

Everyone

Unseen, unheard, and unfelt, Marauder slipped away from the boat to seek at Maou for the next stage of the plan.

"No need to engage," he reported to his Master. "The alliance was struck. Caster will fall."

Transition - Night XIV

Payne, Noin - Bridge

A lone girl, only in her teens, standing on a bridge alone at night was an unusual site. But then again, the girl herself was unusual. It wasn't just her dress or the way she held herself. There was just an aura about her, like something alien to this world.

But then, Annabelle had always felt apart from this world. Joy, sadness, anger, peace... they were foreign notions to her. Even her mother and father... their disappearance from her life had meant nothing. She'd begun to think that nothing in this life would ever give her any sense of fulfillment.

But the concept of the Root... if it really was possible, then perhaps something there might interest her, give her some sense of accomplishment or fulfillment. The source of all knowledge, Akasha... surely there could she find answers.

"Are you ready, Master?" Saber asked, invisible beside her. "I sense their approach."

She nodded slowly, gazing out over the water. Of course she was ready. She had everything to gain, and nothing to lose.

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

Gedo - Streets

From their vantage point, Marauder would easily spot the approaching Master and Servants as they came to Kaiserpfalz. They would be prepared to go.

"Ready?" he asked, eyeing his companion. Maou had been silent and contemplative, which suited his purposes well enough. But he had to make sure her head was in the game. Tonight was victory or death - no exception.

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

Jorg - Kaiserpfaz

The ruins were silent and empty. Dowth had expected Caster to keep vigil over her territory, but she was nowhere to be seen. Unfortunately, neither was Calisa.

He crept toward the end where the only habitable structure in the ruins stood, his heart constricting painfully from the tension. Not just for his own safety... but for an answer he might be unable to accept.

"Even if she knows the truth..." Dowth thought, biting his lip. But he had to try. He had to. This might be his last chance at happiness... and he couldn't let it slip through his fingers. Not again.

Illya - Kaiserpfalz


"Oh? If it isn't Saber's previous Master..."

Caster commented from behind Dowth, her precense cold as ever yet passive, showing no hostility but neither simpathy, it seemed like curiosity instead?

"I wonder why you came here. Since you lost your Servant, shouldn't you have run... Unless... Don't tell me you actually think I'll defect to your side?"

Caster questioned, that was the only logical answer she could find, Dowth came here to try and convince her to leave Calisa and instead become his Servant, stupid, but logical.

Maou: Marauder [Streets]
She loooked into Marauder's eyes as she spoke."Ah... I'll be going all out, so I'll be waiting at my castle ready to call on the mana. You attack first. Make it flashy, something I can see with binoculars. I'll take that as my sign to charge in. Effectively they'll think you're alone, worried only for a master. I'll burst in for the kill then. If my initial attack fails, they'll still think I'm just a Master. But I should be able to hold them off and serve as the frontlines while you attack. Though if it looks like they're about to unleash their noble phantasm, I'll save my own skin over your own." And then she averted those red eyes of hers. "... You know, if I did take the command seals Abbadon offered, in the end I would have used them to take your mana and kill you. But now I'm trusting you. It doesn't make much sense, does it?" Arms crossed behind her head, she looked up at the sky.

"In the end, I honestly don't know what I'm doing here. I could have taken those command seals. I probably could have even killed Abbadon in that moment. I could carry on with the plan and win whatever was left. But now I'm just going along for the ride, trying my best to accomplish my own goals as well as Abbadon's." Her gaze fell upon the Servant. "And what about you? Do you feel mad that I had these backstabbing thoughts? Or do you simply not care, as long as it aligns with the mission Abbadon gave you? Do you even care about Abbadon, or is she simply a rule you have to follow? With Archer's indepedent action and Assassin's guile... you hardly have to follow any rules. You're probably more independent than half of the real servants that were summoned."

Illya, Noin - Bridge

"Let's get this over with..." Logan said gruffly as he came within Annabelle's earshot.

He looked different tonight. His normally crimson coat was a flat black, making him more difficult to see in the darkness, or at least it would have if not for his glowing red eyes. There was also an absence of sound as he walked, no rattle of chains or swish of cloth, not even a rasp of his boots on the pavement. Tonight wasn't about putting up airs. It was about results, and for that, some measure of stealth was called for.

"Have Saber take point. He's already aware of what we're up against. So, he has the advantage in the short term. Lancer will wait for an oppening and strike. If she's intercepted, Saber should have an opportunity to counterstrike." His words were cold but not harsh. It sounded almost like he was playing a game of chess, and perhaps, to him, that's what it felt like. "Annabelle, find high ground and prepare something nasty as a distraction in case Caster is able to hold off both Servants at once. I'd rather eliminate the source of the problem, but if they fail, I'll need Caster to be busy while I remove her mana source..."

Jorg - Kaiserpfalz

Dowth felt his insides freeze up at the sound of Caster's voice. Well, it had been too much to hope for that he could go undetected. Still, she hadn't killed him on the spot. That had to count for something.

"I'm afraid," the magus said slowly, turning to face her. "That my business is not with you. These Games have left a bad taste in my mouth... I'd sooner put them behind me."

And now came the risky part. Revealing his true purpose was dangerous, but refusing to speak at all was equally likely to get him reduced to cinders. There was nothing to it then.

"I have unresolved matters to attend to first, however," Dowth said quietly. "One of which concerns Calisa Lannister."

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

Gedo - Kaiserpfalz

Marauder regarded Maou silently before turning away to gaze into the distance with his unmatched eyes.

"Autonomy matters little without a sense of self," he replied. Yes, in the end, the homunculus gave him purpose, so he obeyed. The fact that he could exist quite easily without it was not even a consideration.

This woman... although her strong sense of purpose was evident, he had to wonder for a moment if she had as little sense of self as he did.

"Your plan is acceptable," Marauder replied after a moment, discarding the needless conversation.

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

Payne, Noin - Bridge

"No need to sound so grateful about it," Saber replied sarcastically, materializing. "It's not as though you would survive one minute against Caster without us."

"Saber," Annabelle warned, shooting him a quelling look. He may be correct, but there was no sense in antagonizing their allies. Saber looked disgruntled, but turned his attention to Lancer with a smile.

"I've never had the pleasure of watching you in battle, Lancer. If nothing else, I'll look forward to watching your skill."

Annabelle, looking impatient, cut in front of Logan and gave him a nod to speak his plans. When the other Master had finishes, Annabelle gave him a skeptical look.

"I think your grasp of the picture is incomplete," she stated flatly. "Caster doesn't need a Master anymore. With the mana she's amassed, she might as well be independent."

For those with magical sight, the enormous tree could be seen, even from this spot.

"The only way to take Caster out is hard and fast," Annabelle said in a low voice. "But, we did agree to your conditions. If that's the plan, we'll follow it."

Saber did not look so agreeable, but Annabelle didn't seem to consider his opinion on the matter valid.

Illya - Kaiserpfalz

"Hmmmm..."

Caster tilts her head, her eyes sharp as she evaluates Dowth's answer. She sensed no lie and no threat, but that didn't mean anything, Calisa was to emotional as a person, she can't risk Calisa going wild when Saber and Lancer will be here soon.

"Tell you what, let me read your mind and depending on what I get, I'll let you talk with her or..."

Kill you

Payne, Illya - Bridge

Lancer, walking behind Logan as they approached the bridge, looked straight ahead. She was ignoring Annabelle.

When Saber appeared and spoke up, Lancer slowly turned towards him. The corners of her mouth lifted slightly. "I've seen part of what you can do. No doubt you will put on a spectacular show." Her tone was not unfriendly and there was even a hint of respect there. It didn't matter what she personally felt for him, she couldn't help but give him grudgingly the respect he deserved for his skill.

"Let's hope it will be enough against Caster," she added, looking straight at him for a few seconds. The she diverted her attention back to the conversation between Annabelle and Logan.

Jorg - Kaiserpfalz

This time, the chill was not imagined. Caster's presence was like an ice-cold dagger at his throat, ready to claim his life at a moment's notice. But despite his dire situation, Dowth did not feel afraid. Only a sense of regret...

"If I don't reach her, then it will die with me..."

Even if she did not heed him, he wanted someone to know. He wanted her to know about him, and about their past. Perhaps it was selfish to throw all this on her, to burden her with such secrets. But he felt he owed himself this much, at least.

Wordlessly, Dowth titled his head back and stared straight into Caster's eyes, his gaze almost defiant as he willed her to search his thoughts.

Illya - Kaiserpfalz

Again Dowth betrayed her expectations, as far as she knew it was a taboo to even think of sharing information, and yet this man before her did so. Was he that desperate to allow someone like her to venture through his mind. He didn't even try to bargain conditions to secure his life.

Caster was speechless and resumed nonetheless, walking forward she places her hand over Dowth head.

"....!"

It only took a moment, Caster steps back, of all things she was expecting this was not one of them.

"So this is why you stopped Saber before..."

Caster's murmurs, she didn't know how to react, she wasn't used to this type of things or even understood them, but one thing was certain, this man's emotions were true.

"...Very well, I understand."

Caster composes herself, there was something different about her presence, it felt warmer. Caster's face was also much more human than before as it bore a light smile.

Raising her hand, space bends and Caster transports both of them inside the ruins. It was a dungeon. Suddenly Dowth arms feel constricted and become incapable of movement. It was a spell casted by Caster

"Believe me I understand, however I just can't have you interfere now of all times. Just stay put for now."

Caster explains, there was some emotion behind it, was it fear? She turns around, taking a final look at the old man's expression and walks away into the darkness.

Illya, Noin - Bridge

Logan's gaze drifted to Saber after his retort, but he didn't bother to mention that he was assuming Caster was capable of withstanding Lancer for more than a minute. Of course, that was assuming she was unhindered in her attack, which was the main reason Logan wanted him to take point.

"Even with such a large amount of mana amassed, I suspect she burns through it rather quickly at full power. Besides, Caster killed her previous Master without a second thought, and yet this one remains alive. If she's really so powerful on her own, I want to know why."

He turned to Lancer, giving her a wry smile. "If you see an opening, tear her apart. There's no sense in holding back tonight, and if you can include that tree in your attack, burn it down. The less she has to work with, the better our chances become."

Logan twisted to the side, obscuring his glowing eyes from view, and slipped into an alleyway, bleeding into the darkness as if he were part of it.

Good luck, partner.

Jorg - Kaiserpfalz

Dowth's life had never been in a more precarious place, and yet he felt oddly at ease with himself. Perhaps, for the first time, he was doing something that felt right.

No... not the first time. He had felt it before, long ago.

Caster's smile came unexpectedly, and for a moment Dowth felt sure that she had understood - not only understood, but perhaps empathized. By in an instant everything had distorted, and the elderly magus nearly fell to his knees as his mind reeled at the sudden shift in time and space. He was only held aloft by magical bindings holding him captive in what looked to be a dungeon, once his vision had restored.

He had no time to protest, bargain, or even beg before she was gone, leaving him alone in the cold, silent bowls of the ruins.

The dripping of moisture from the damp stones, and the labored sound of his own breath were the only noises that kept him company. His head drooped, feeling his spirit drain. In that moment, he felt his many years weighing upon him. Tired of the fight, tired of the endless struggle to claw his way to the top.

It hadn't always been that way. At one time, the spark of wonder from exploring the mysteries of magecraft had been enough to satiate him. At one time, his dearest ambition had not been to rise to greatness or even delve into Akasha.

No, at his core, he had been something less than a magus. He had simply been a man. A man who had loved.

And a man who had lost.

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

Payne, Noin - Kaiserpfalz

The plan had been set. There seemed little choice but to follow it.

Following orders was not something Saber was accustomed to. He had commanded armies at one time. Such a thing was beneath him.

As was the concept of allies. He had once thought them useful - if not as companions, then as tools. But friends had proven disappointments. One had drowned himself in a river, and the other had deserted and betrayed him. Relying on friends was a fool's choice.

And family...

Saber's lip curled in disgust at that notion even more. But it didn't matter. This was his chance to reclaim his title, his kingdom, and his glory. Not an old empire, but a new one. Victory was his for the taking.

But first, there were a few obstacles to take care of.

"Caster, you maggot," he snarled, stepping boldly into the ruins. "This time, we settle things."

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

Annabelle waited quietly from her vantage point, awaiting an opening. There was no sign of Caster's Master, but perhaps after last time the Servant felt it more advantageous to face them alone. She could hear Saber's bold declaration, but her eyes were not on them.

The tree... she now knew it could only be one thing.

"Eat of the tree, and ye shall be like God."

The young magus' eyes narrowed at the sight of the ethereal tree, trying to comprehend what power this Noble Phantasm would bestow upon its wielder.

[OOC: I have a few scenes for Calisa and Dowth prepared that I don't want interrupted. Payne, you can try to sneak around the back, but I'm going to have Meira and Marauder intercept you, if that's all right. I wanted the battle for Logan tonight to be between him and Meira, actually. Well, more like Caster vs Saber and Lancer vs Marauder, and Logan and Annabelle vs Meira, with Calisa showing up a bit later. Anyway, PM me if you have any questions.]