Mackenzie Residence.
Waver was at a loss of what to do.
In all practicality, fraternizing with an enemy Master at one's secret base of operations, one that was supposed to be hidden no less, was tantamount to painting a target on one's back. If they knew where he was hiding, he was as good as dead. Or so the thought went.
How was he to expect Lelouch Lamperouge of all people to arrive at his faux grandparents' doorstep, introduce himself as an acquaintance, and be invited like it was no biggie? All the while, the young prince of a boy kept the air of a calm and nonchalant visitor.
What was even more astounding, despite King Arthur's heir already not keeping up with Waver's image of a stereotypical prince, was the fact that he didn't even carry himself as a magus in any way.
"I see. So the plot of the game is the conquest and establishment of a new homeland for themselves?" Lelouch busied himself by questioning Rider as the giant of a man continued to play his game like it wasn't an enemy Master standing not two feet away from him. "How profound for the developers to apply such motivations for what's essentially a wartime strategy game."
"It is, isn't it?!" As if taking pride in the ingenuity of someone else's work, Iskandar's voice boomed with excitement. "The green-skins have been denied their birthplace. This gives them more than enough of a valid reason for their drive for war. And with most of the world's lands already owned by others, it drives the conflict over territory to a whole new level! I'm especially fond of this Krom Hellscreech fellow. He may come off as a bloodthirsty brute, but his heart's in the right place for his people and clan."
Iskandar droned on as if he was the one to create the game. Like a child showcasing a new toy, he'd turned from a slobby shut-in to an amicable showcase host. The doof was also paying more attention to their visitor than he had Waver earlier today. Granted, the young magus wasn't at all interested, hence the cold shoulder, but he could at least pretend to listen.
"Would you want to try a hand at an alliance, young prince?! I need a keen-eyed tactician to take over the Thrall Camp while I assault the enemy head-on."
"If you would allow me the honour, Lord Iskandar."
"AHEM!" But, of course, Waver Velvet had to draw the line at actually playing games with their apparent foes. With a commanding, yet very squeaky tone, he tried to impress it upon his Servant. "Do I have to remind you that we are enemies in this war? What in the hell do you think you're doing, Rider?!"
"Why, recruiting the aid of a sharp mind in my conquest, my boy!" the King of Conquerors stated it like it should've been obvious. Which was incredulous but the norm for his Master right about now. "One cannot simply win by crushing each and every foe they come across. Sometimes, it is better to form truces or alliances instead of outright destruction."
"Lord Iskandar, we can capture this enemy camp to secure a forward base as well as hire local mercenaries to field in battle." Having seated himself beside the big guy like it was natural, the teenage royal kindly pointed out not one minute into joining the game. "I suggest hiring giants and trolls to bolster your flanks. The enemy troops will be upon you within five minutes."
"Mm! Good man!" The boy's back endured a slap of acknowledgement while the Servant spared his Master a cheeky grin. "See? He's already got a good grasp on it. I daresay, he's more attentive than you at times!"
"Your praise honours me, milord." Lelouch didn't respond with arrogance. It was as if this was all in a day's work for him. "Griffons to your right. The human faction has made their move."
"An ambush is it?! No matter! The troll warlord we hired will manage!"
"Actually, no, your highness. They are moving to our aid and handling the elven faery riders."
"Hoho! We'll use that to our advantage then! How're my siege units?"
"I've already built seven sent to rally on your position with four more queued up to go. With the skies clear, they could arrive safely within a minute."
"Good!" Boomed the giant with the taste of victory seething in his throat. "With this, the battle is—!"
The screen immediately blacked out and the only thing the pair of players saw was their own reflection with Waver standing in the back. In his hand was the monitor and console's power plugs pulled straight out of the outlet.
"O-Oy! What was that for, boy?!"
"Would you take your job as a Servant seriously?!"
"That doesn't mean you have to turn it all off, lad!" The big man looked just about to cry. "And I'd been struggling so hard on that chapter for hours!"
"Not to worry, Milord," chimed his co-op player. "I made a save file for you before the griffon ambush. Now you know what to expect within five minutes of continuing from that point on."
"Good man!"
"WILL YOU LISTEN TO ME, YOU BIG IDIOT?!" Waver had had enough. There was crazy, then there was retarded crazy. This whole interaction that had been going on for more than ten minutes had pushed beyond that already. "He is the Master of Avenger! The Servant you managed to piss off in more ways than one! She's one of the two that managed to kill Archer! They are our E-N-E-M-I-E-S!"
That he needed to spell it out like he was talking to a child may have made him seem more immature than he actually was. But may whatever god out there forgive him for losing it with his Servant barely acknowledging his concerns. Waver was only human after all. He didn't want to die, and he certainly didn't want to lose.
"Haaah… So?" started Iskandar with a deadpan expression and crossed arms. "What would you have me do?"
"Eh?"
"What is it that my Master would have me do to the 'enemy Master' here and now? Strike him down? Capture him and demand he concedes his rights to the Grail? Or torture and mangle him into being unable to utilize any of his Command Seals so we can neutralize his little lady before she can act? What will it be?"
"W-well… uhm…" the boy was slammed. He didn't know what to do, even more so now when Rider was listing out all the options with nary a care for the subject of their next move overhearing it all with a smile on his face. Why was he being so polite when Iskandar casually suggested capture or murder?
When Waver faltered under Rider's gaze, the man added with a relieving chuckle. "Come now, boy. Do you think he came here unprepared for any retaliation? While we all know he isn't like your folk of magi, always conniving in the shadows, he still isn't a normal boy after having survived this long, you know?"
Of that, Waver was certain. Especially when it was his Servant himself who warned him of the danger the boy possessed. If enemy Servants were the giant blades you wouldn't want them to directed at you, Lelouch Lamperouge was of a different kind of threat. Iskandar himself likened the boy to a snake hiding in the sand. One you would be surprised to find in your bed, but also a creature capable of ambushing you in the sand.
Waver had never been on a desert marching campaign, but if Alexander the Great was going so far to depict an image of one boy, it would do him well to be a wee bit cautious.
Yet that was why he was having this shouting match with the idiot who seemed more relaxed about the snake's presence than anything in the first place.
"For the time being, why not relax a bit, boy? Let's not soil this place with blood. Apart from being hard to get out of the walls, you wouldn't want it to be the gramps' and granny's, wouldn't you?" The warning was clear. And while he was in agreement to not involve the Mackenzies, he was still too wary of the young man who continued to smile politely as he saw in a seiza on the floor. His wariness stayed even when Iskandar slapped him on the back so hard he almost fell forward. "Come now! He obviously didn't come here to fight. Or he wouldn't have bothered greeting the old folks on the way in. Nor would he have come without Avenger, yes?" Turning to the boy, the Servant asked. "Where is the missy, by the way?"
A thumb was lazily thrown over his shoulder to the window. With a quick glance, both Rider and Waver quickly found the Servant in question. Standing just on the opposite side of the road across from the house, the redheaded woman glared daggers at them both with the calm of the sea just before a storm.
She was clearly unhappy but seemed to restrain herself for the moment. The instant she noticed their gaze, however, her eyes briefly sparked with hellfire. Not metaphorically either. She then raised her index and middle fingers to said eyes before pointing at them.
'Touch him, and the entire home goes up in flames.'
The message was clear, the threat very much on display just for them. Even when his own Servant was there to hum in amusement, Waver couldn't help gulping nervously.
Her master on the other hand merely chuckled where he sat. "As Your Highness has said, I did not come here with the intent to pick a fight. Well, not at the moment at least."
"Th-then…" Waver tried to recompose himself as the boy had remained so. "W-why did you come?"
"I stand before you as a messenger and negotiator."
"Hoho?" Rider sounded intrigued. "And what, pray do tell, would you wish to negotiate about? It wouldn't be yours and Avenger's unconditional surrender, perhaps?"
"Ahahah… I'm afraid not, King Iskandar. I'm actually here to provide information and offer a deal."
"Then let's not waste time on the pleasantries." Dropping down to sit with a thud, Iskandar stared the boy down like a king looking upon an envoy. Said envoy neither flinched nor wavered. Merely kept the polite smile on. "Speak, young prince. What would be so important that you would voluntarily approach us at this time of day?"
Lelouch bowed slightly. "I will start with the information. As you know, one of the enemies we all face in this war is an infamous assassin nicknamed the Magus Killer."
"Emiya… Kiritsugu…" Waver muttered to himself. A bead of sweat-drenched his brow to his cheek.
Even an inexperienced one such as he knew about him. He, alongside many others, had heard rumours and stories about the mysterious boogeyman of the moonlit world. A Spellcaster who was inferior to many of the apprentices of the Mage's Association in terms of magecraft but still had a reputation that was far bloodier than many of the Lords themselves. Some would say he struck fear in even the mighty because he wasn't one to shy away from blowing up a plane to take a target down… But that was all rumours, no?
It's not like he actually blew up bombs in public spaces, catching a runaway magus unawares. It's not like he used a terror threat to smoke out a magi cult's workshop. That bit of blowing up a plane, that was definitely just made up… right?
But Waver doubted they were false reports. The validity of hearsay and speculations aside, there was a reason those stories held ground even to this day. Word has it that if the Association wanted someone gone for good, they called the Magus Killer. Of course, they'd never admit to using him as his methods were heretical and an antithesis of the way of the magi, but he was an effective hunting dog. Merciless, efficient, deadly.
If there was anyone that could make the most confident of mages feel a slight chill down their spine, it'd be the assassin who had no qualms with the method he used to slay a target, even if it caught others in the crossfire. A killer of killers. A truly born murderer.
"An assassin who survived longer than the actual Assassin, eh?" Rider sensed his Master's anxiety and chose inquiry over letting Waver lose face. "If I remember right, he serves the Master of Saber, yes? The silver-haired homunculus woman from the castle."
"Correct, Your Highness."
"And? What about him?"
"Concerning himself as well as Saber and her Master's whereabouts, I believe I have new information as to where they relocated after abandoning their castle."
"So they did retreat from that ruined fort." Rider's expectations seemed to have been met. "Considering we've all at least been there once, I can't fault them for leaving behind a perfectly defensible fortress, ransacked as it may have been. So, you would divulge to us this information in order to sic us at their heels?"
Lelouch's lips slightly raised up when he saw the intrigue on the king's face. "I wouldn't put it that way, milord, but of course, the information won't be for free."
It took Waver a good two seconds before he noticed Rider giving him a side-glance. Without words, they communicated through their link. The offer of their enemy's movements was tempting, especially more so when they long since established Waver's subpar skill in tracking their foes in real time. But they both knew that blind acceptance would put them at a disadvantage.
'We aren't trusting him, but we will hear him out, right?'
'Yes.' Rider was quick to assert. 'We're entering the endgame. Including him and the girl, half of the total participants of the war remain. Prioritizing the most dangerous opponents comes first now. But I don't know who will be more troublesome to deal with.'
'Saber… or Avenger?'
'Correct. Honestly, I don't see this Magus Killer as much of a threat to me personally, but to you…' Rider need not say. He was barely an honour student at his school's department, much less the prodigy that was his teacher. If push came to shove against such a foe, he'd have died the moment he met the man in an alleyway. 'But, regardless of who is our biggest bane, let's see what this boy wants first.'
Finishing their momentary mental discussion, Waver turned to his fellow Master. "Name your price for this information."
"Being too direct is also a fault, Waver Velvet." Lelouch seemed to advise but not in an arrogant way. Smiling, he started. 'I will not demand anything you cannot provide, but first, I should provide a short prelude. As you must have figured out by now, another Servant has recently been defeated, bringing the remaining participants to just four."
Iskandar nodded. 'Goldie but the dust, did he? I take it Avenger and yourself were the ones who took him out?" Rider made it a point to clarify how disappointed he was that he couldn't face Archer. Even if the Babylonian King had been too self-centred, Waver understood his own Servant respected the man somewhat. But to have beaten such a powerful Servant, there was a catch to that. Both he and Rider had figured as much before today. "But you didn't come here to gloat about how you'd beaten him, have you? More so when you didn't do it alone."
"Correct, Lord Iskandar. While Avenger was the one who dealt the final blow, we owe our victory to the cooperation of Berserker and his Master on this matter."
"Y-you teamed up with… Berserker?" Waver asked, unable to hide the fear in his tone.
"No. We were a team." The boy shook his head. "As we had agreed to take down our common foe and have done so, our truce ended at the death of Archer and the Master Tohsaka. It is why I come here alone to seek you out, Master Waver Velvet and Lord Iskandar."
"Hoh, now I see." Rider's gaze sharpened as his posture straightened up. "So that's your game."
"I guess I can't hide it from you, milord." The boy then turned to face Waver. "I offer this deal. Accept my gift that is the new location of Saber and her Master's abode and challenge them as you see fit. In the meantime, Avenger and I will take care of Berserker and Matou Kariya."
"W-wait, what?!" Waver almost shouted. "But… wasn't he your ally? Why would you—?"
"Calm yourself, boy." Rider boomed with a straight face. "This is a war. The enemy of my enemy is my ally so long as a mutual foe exists. And… with Archer out of the picture, it seems they've chosen us as their final foes for this." Rider then turned to Lelouch with a slight yet guarded grin. "I see that you're quite the ruthless pragmatist, young prince."
"Your words honour me," the boy bowed once more. "But as Your Highness said, this is war. Avenger and I have opted to take care of Berserker as neither he nor his Master would expect an attack. This leaves you to sort out your differences with the Lady King of Knights, does it not, King Iskandar? Once the dust has settled, Avenger and yourself will then be free to settle the last question between Conquerors. That being 'who between you deserves the title'."
Iskandar considered it. To eliminate other threats aside from them before they finally turn their blades against one another. An uninterrupted duel for the last bout for the Grail. But while Waver was the Master, in all honesty, he couldn't decide if this was their best bet or a trap. All he could do was silently stare at the floor between them.
Truth be told, they weren't so lucky in keeping tabs on the remaining Servants ever since the fight with Caster. They'd barely cottoned on to Gilgamesh's passing had Rider not sensed something disappearing in the distance. Waver knew that it annoyed his Servant how much fighting they were actually missing, but it's not like he had a choice when they could hardly confront the ones that constantly hid themselves.
All this time, they had no eyes on Berserker OR Saber due to the former disappearing soon after Caster's demise and the latter abandoning their former base. Now that they could find out where one of them was, this chance to take out Saber was a tempting offer. However, they still had questions.
"B-before we come to any sort of agreement, I have to ask. How did you manage to find us?" Waver tried to keep a neutral expression. Shocking as it was for their position to be compromised, he knew better than to let it show. Despite Lelouch Lamperouge not being a real magus in the sense of the word, Waver still should've expected there to be someone able to find them if it was this easy. "On that note, how did you learn about Saber's location?"
"On yours and Lord Iskandar's base, Lord Kayneth Archibald, Lancer's former Master, had used hypnotic magecraft on the local police as a means to track you down. He then shared it with me during the course of our… brief… alliance. As for Lady Artoria's and the Einzberns, it was Archer's Master, Tohsaka Tokiomi, who tried to trade it in exchange for his life."
"Is that all?" Waver asked bluntly yet sceptically.
"It's all I have to share." Lelouch's poker face held.
The polite smile was there for all to see, but now that the boy took a hard look at the alleged prince, he saw it more like a mask. A very polite yet daunting disguise that refused to show what was on his mind. It was unnerving, but at the very least, it didn't exude much condescension or arrogance. Quite the opposite of a certain professor who would smile upon him only when he found something to insult.
It was then that the boy remembered a question he wanted to ask. "You said 'alliance'. If you were once allied with Professor Archibald, what happened to him after?"
The answer really wasn't important. It was more out of curiosity than concern for his former teacher. That he and Rider already knew Lancer was dead didn't account for Kayneth's survival. But, knowing the prideful Lord of the Clock Tower, Waver highly doubted the prick would take his defeat lying down.
He knew that there were three bodies in the Church. Using familiars to scour the place shortly after detecting the end of Avenger and Archer's battle, Waver was able to somewhat identify two of them belonging to the priest that was the Master of Assassin and Tohsaka. The third remained unidentified, mainly for having been scattered all over the place as if it was the epicentre of the explosion.
"Kayneth Archibald has fallen. Killed during the eve of our victory over Archer and Tohsaka." The neutrality and indifference in the boy's tone was strong.
"And, pray to tell, who ended Lancer's poor excuse of a lord?"
"Would it really matter? Lord Kayneth has died whilst his fiancée apparently fled Japan soon after. From where I stand, their camp has lost all value in this war."
"Hmm, that is true…" Rider had inquired with a knowing smile. It seemed he too was just as aware as Waver as to the culprit. But with the point of discussion being pushed aside, demanding an explanation was meaningless. And it's not like Waver really cared about his teacher, to begin with. Rider continued. "Still, you of all people must realize that we can't take your word at face value. Even if the information you offer is true, can't have us making a deal without being sceptical even a little bit."
"That's understandable, Milord Iskandar."
"So, Lelouch," Iskandar's tone changed from casual one to commanding one he used as king at his time. "Let's stop beating around the bush and just get right to it. Tell me, young prince, what makes you so sure that I won't just strike you down here and now? Even if you do have a trap in store for it, I bet I can still stand a better chance against the missy after cutting off Avenger's mana source. Now that I think about it, even without your help, the matter of Saber and Berserker will be solved on its own since they seem to have their own issues. It is the final stage of the war. So, why should I keep you alive?"
Waver baulked. He'd rarely seen Rider act out like this. At the moment, he then remembered that his lazybones of a shut-in Servant was also still the King of Macedonia, the great conqueror who once took over almost the entirety of the known Grecian world. Even as his Master, Waver was still fazed by Iskandar's intimidating aura.
However, Avenger's Master hardly flinched. He continued to wear a cold yet peaceful mask. "To start, I should inform you of the fact that, if you do so, Avenger will burn down this little house and all who live in it. Next, she would raze the entire surrounding area with the same power she used to turn Caster's monster to cinders."
Waver's blood chilled at the callousness of the declaration. Rider maintained his stare as the boy continued.
"While Your Highness has a good chance to easily escape, anyone else won't be so lucky. With no arbiters in the war remaining, there would be no penalty for us to not go so far. It may even catch your Master in the flames of my Servant's fury."
"You make it sound like such a loss would hurt us," the giant stated but didn't hide the thundering of his voice.
"Oh, but it would." The boy smiled in the face of the heroic spirit. "In any case, my Servant can simply submit a report that your Master was the cause of the destruction. Being labelled a terrorist will more than hamper any movements you may think to use."
"Not much of a problem. I can outrun and defeat any who would try to hunt him down. Magi or otherwise."
"Well, I wonder for how long you can keep it up. More so when the Association catch's wind of the news." Levelling a glare at Waver, the older boy flinched. "Hiding from the police and government is one thing. But I question how long you can escape your own kind, even should this war end in your victory."
The boy had them there. He wouldn't escape. Waver knew that as fact.
Forget being a fugitive, if the Association believed the false report, no, if they could just pin the blame on him, he'd be a dead man. No one escaped a Sealing Designation, especially if the crime committed was too atrocious to consider anything but a magus gone berserk or overboard.
While his classmates and family could attest to his innocence simply by revealing his meagre capabilities as a magus, the magic community still had laws. The top brass of the Association would still need to do something in order not to lose face. And, with the Tohsaka head gone and the Church serving as the war's referees dead, they might as well override anyone else's opinion and take matters into their own hands.
If the boy was implying all that, then certainly, Waver would be defeated even the moment he and Rider won this war.
"But setting aside threats neither of us wants to deal with, there's the matter of Berserker, Lord Iskandar." As if his earlier implications hadn't been enough bad news already, Lelouch continued. "Unlike yourself and Saber, Avenger is better suited to face him for we already know his real identity. The same cannot be said of Your Highness who stands a better chance picking off Saber with hit-and-run tactics. Mobility is already your strong suit, but it may not hold up against Berserker who can very well steal whatever noble phantasm you can call upon."
Rider stayed silent. It seems the points the boy made were very good ones. If Lelouch and his Servant truly knew Berserker's identity, then leaving the mad knight to them would be the best option. Iskandar did have a bone to pick with Saber, and yes, they could still run circles around her if their lives depended on it. However, Lelouch hadn't finished.
"And besides, were there not two conquerors that had a question for the other? Would it not be best to allow yourself and my Avenger to duke it out and put said question to the test?"
"Heh, cheeky little…" Rider grinned sourly, getting the message. "And? What would you ask of us in return?"
He sounded like it was already a done deal. Waver tried to interject. "O-oy? Rider—?!"
"As I said, milord," but Lelouch was faster. "I merely came to give you a little… you could call it a 'distraction' if you'd like. If a certain someone were to engage Saber in a fight, we would find it easier to take care of Berserker. And once each respective opponent is defeated, there will be none to stand in the way of the Conquerors deciding between themselves who deserves the title of King. Does this fit to your liking, Your Highness, King Iskandar the Great?"
Invoking his title in such a manner was akin to a challenge. One Waver knew his boastful of a Servant was raring to answer. Sparing the hulking giant a glance, and he was certain. Iskandar was going to accept.
However, contrary to Waver's expectations, the King turned to him with the question. "What do you think, boy?"
"… Eh?" Waver paused. "You… you're asking me?"
'Who else would I be asking, boy? You're the Master in our relationship. Own up to it!' Iskandar's thoughts were conveyed with a small smile at the corner of his rugged face. "Come on, kid. What should we do?"
'But…' Waver stayed silent, both in thoughts and aloud.
He was a little amazed. For someone like Iskandar to entrust the final say to him… it was a bit unexpected. More so when he was the incompetent one in their relationship. And that's including the fact that the big lug was often lazing about.
Compared to the other Master said before him, who was Waver Velvet but the tag-along that couldn't do much in the way of leading their pair to victory?
'Don't let what the prince does bother you.' The booming thoughts invaded his mind. All that was missing was a slap to his back. Seeing Rider grin with his eyes, he wordlessly pressed. 'You are you, boy. Decide things at your own pace. As for me, I shall follow your lead, Master.'
Waver signed. He didn't even notice how a small smile formed on his face as he directed his attention to the patient prince.
"We'll take your offer." The prince smiled, but Waver continued. "However, I have to ask for a little more than their location. What do you know of the Magus Killer?"
"Honestly, very little apart from his reputation." Lelouch grimaced slightly as if it was an honest expression yet continued. "Aside from where their base is situated, I do not know his methods of attack or defence. I know he may use traps as he had done so when he ran circles around Lord Archibald, but then again, your professor wasn't all too kind to share his 'disgraceful' encounter."
That was understandable. If most of Lelouch's information came from his short contact with Kayneth, then there really wasn't anything Waver could glean from the boy. More so when he was but a normal person before the war started. That's if he was just a normal person before all this started. But Waver wouldn't delve into the specifics until it became a problem.
"What of the Einzbern's Master. If she's a homunculus, do you know anything about their capabilities, power, and how they support Saber?"
"Apart from the basic mana pool to keep her here, no. Those are things I have no knowledge of and scouting was too risky to attempt. One of the reasons I turned to you two was because of Rider's speciality." Turning to the Servant, the boy added. "Your chariot and speed will do better to bulldoze or evade any human traps they may have laid. At the same time, none can rival you in a chase."
"Hmph, of course!" Accepting the compliment with gusto, the giant didn't seem to take offence to the prince nonchalantly labelling him a battering ram of sorts. Even still, Waver didn't let it bother him. "I wouldn't worry too much about the traps apart from Saber herself. I highly doubt she'd rely on such ploys, to begin with… naïve girl that she is." Iskandar gave a hearty chuckle before nodding his head. "Alright! If that's all, then we can conclude this stifling negotiation!"
"Haaah… No more questions here." Waver sighed.
"Then I have nothing more to add." Lelouch bowed. "I thank you for the time you allowed me."
"Now, now. Enough of that, young prince. While I may be a King, dealing with stuff like this is best left to those who can stand it. I'm better suited for the actual conquest than negotiating a compromise." Iskandar waved the politeness away with a thunderous laugh before offering a console controller. "By the way, care to continue our game? It would be a waste to not do so after seeing a glimpse of your skill in control and planning!"
A vein popped on a young man's temple. "Riiiideeeer!"
"DAHAHAHAHAH!" Iskandar took Waver snapping as his cue to make fun of the boy again. "Ah, it seems my Master is determined to be a killjoy just when I'm having fun. You need to learn to relax, boy! Just like Lelouch here!"
"Sadly, I can understand his woes, milord." That the boy took his side didn't register with Waver until he was about ten seconds into beating his tiny fists against the giant's muscled shoulder. Lelouch's grin to him was still polite, but there was a hint of sympathy in it. "Not everyone can step back and have as much fun as you, Your Highness. There are those like myself that wish to end the conflict as soon as possible."
"So you say, but you can't deny you were having a little fun playing game and not planning someone's death, can you?" Rider smirked as he waved the controller in front of his face as if to tempt the prince.
"… True, I did have a little fun…" As if pondering the possibility, Lelouch smirked back.
"Okay! It is time for you to leave!" Waver started yelling before either of them got any more ideas, or the gall to act on those ideas. "Give us the address and be on your way! We'll pay Saber a visit then deal with you later!"
"Oh my, it seems I've touched a nerve." The prince didn't lose his smile even as he was nearly shoved out the door.
Waver's attempts at composure lost to his patience giving out. It seems, no matter the person, he was definitely unfit for dealing with royalty.
_____________
Once Lelouch had left the house, Waver and Rider continued to spy on them from the second-floor window.
Out of caution, they watched as the Master waved at his Servant. They were simply making sure the redhead wouldn't start a fight. However, what they didn't expect was for the woman to suddenly launch herself at the boy the moment Lelouch got close.
Immediately taking his right hand and refusing to release it, she glared death at them from afar whilst the pair walked away. Even from this distance, Avenger looked far more like a clingy lover than the fearsome warrior she made herself out to be. On the other hand, the princely Master acted like a caring boyfriend who seamlessly coddled the young woman snugly nestling herself against him.
"Hoho! She's quite the keeper. Nice catch, kid." Iskandar mumbled with a cheery smile.
"What does that mean?"
"You'll understand when you grow up, boy."
Waver doubted he wanted to understand. This giant of a man was selfish and reckless, boisterous beyond belief already. A pushy existence that was already far from understandable. If Waver was then asked to try and understand something similar, except this time it was a domineering woman, he'd nope the fuck out.
"Stop slouching, Master!"—BAM—"Spacing out with your posture like that won't help you get any taller!" The loud voice was accompanied by yet another slap to the back that Waver recovered from almost immediately. Meeting Rider's excited gaze, the Servant then said. "Now, are we going after Saber or not?"
"W—wait, now?!"
"But of course! I don't need to tell you how much I don't trust Lelouch. But if we were to verify his claims, it would be better to fly there immediately and see if he lied to us than wait too long. We won't attack Saber at her new base, obviously, but scoping out the vicinity of her territory will be to our advantage." All the while as Rider said this, he'd shoddily packed away his games and console before he changed into his armour. "So, are we going or not? Or do you prefer we cower here while they take all the fun?!"
Waver blinked twice before narrowing his eyes. He knew what the man was doing. Despite relying on him to make the final decision, he was still goading Waver on. To make a decision that aligned with his wants. It was playing dirty especially when Waver was still doubting himself, but he nevertheless raised his hand and slapped the giant in the chest.
"Of course, we're going! Even if he's just using us, better we blow away his expectations before they backstab us!"
"That's the spirit, my boy!"
___________
Emiya Residence.
The air was so thick with tension, one could cut it with a knife. Or so did the young woman take it as she continued her short walk about the new place in her slim-fit, black-and-grey suit.
Arturia Pendragon, or as her Servant class denoted her, the Servant of the Sword, Saber, felt a wave of concern as she reassessed once more the current state of the Grail War.
'Gilgamesh has fallen. His killer, unknown.' A worrying thought considering she didn't doubt the King of Heroes' capability as a Servant. Flamboyant and arrogant as the man had been, there was still considerable power that he had yet revealed. 'Between Rider, Berserker, and Avenger, there's no doubt that at least two of them are behind it.'
The question remained then. Who made an alliance and which was the odd one out?
'Whichever it is, must we continue to hide away as they whittle each other down?' Saber had her doubts, but despite voicing them out and persisting that they rejoin the battle, she was ignored. At least, by her Master, she was left to stand by, wasting the war away as a guard for their new abode. 'Of all the paths to choose… why cowardice?'
She doubted Kiritsugu even more now. At first, not only did he depict himself as a cold and tactical person, but he also displayed his hesitance to act and willingness to stand and watch as the other participants killed each other off. Only, that at least didn't apply to reconnaissance and subterfuge. The most non-chivalrous of methods.
Using familiars to merely investigate the scene, he found the corpses in the Church and quickly identified Archer's Master, Tohsaka Tokiomi, as well as Assassin's, Kotomine Kirei. He also managed to quickly identify the third body. Although it should've taken a while to figure out who the shattered carcass belonged to, since Kiritsugu himself had the fiancée of this person, it didn't take that long.
Saber couldn't help but grit her teeth as she remembered the night Maiya returned with a said woman in tow. Kidnapped and unconscious, she was their prisoner and had been interrogated for a time as to get them a leg up whilst they hid away… like a band of criminals.
'This isn't an honourable fight.' The kidnapping of fair ladies was something that shouldn't ever come to mind to a knight. But with a Master such as Kiritsugu, Arturia was only able to celebrate the fact that he had yet to kill this woman. She was safe. 'But how long will things stay that way for, I wonder?'
Saber approached the little shed that Irisviel used as a workshop. The rundown building was small and cramped, but the lady homunculus managed to make it a bit more homely, even for a decrepit storage building.
But the fact that her faux Master, Irisviel von Einzbern, was feeling unwell lately had Saber more than a little concerned. Not only did the lady in question try to hide it, but her husband was also making any excuses he could to avoid seeing her recently.
It already bothered Saber a lot that they were having some sort of issues recently; they'd always been close before the whole war started. But for the fact that the false human was actually happy with this arrangement…? Arturia couldn't understand it… Their relationship, their issues… maybe she didn't really understand either her Master or his wife, but she at least knew that the husband should be the one to support his spouse even while they were fixated on the war. It was just that much of common sense for the King of Knights.
'Then again, am I one to talk?' The irony wasn't lost on the former King of Britain. More so when her Queen wasn't the happiest woman in the realm. Not by a longshot. "I'm entering."
Announcing herself, Saber entered the shed to see four magi already inside. That is, if Kiritsugu and Maiya can be called as such. Artoria's eyes quickly fell on Irisviel who, despite trying not to let it show, was still weak because of unexplained reasons. Said silver-haired woman gave her a weak smile whilst sitting on a chair. Next to her, Maiya continued to remain vigilant while Kiritsugu behaved like his wife wasn't even in the same room. Before him was the fourth and only magus who didn't want to be here.
Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri, kidnapped on the eve of her escape and brought here by Maiya just the day before. The black-haired woman had questioned her while Kiritsugu was away from the house. However, the method was anything but kind to the fearful noblewoman. She had bruises and cuts on her skin. She sported a cut to her lip and tears had dried on her cheeks. They were clear proof that Maiya was not above more brutal torturing. It was something the King of Knights couldn't approve of but had no say in when her Master demanded she only keep watch for the estate and nothing else.
Even though Arturia understood the need for it, she didn't like where things had ended up.
Her Master had been tracking down Kayneth, Lancer's Master and the tortured woman's former betrothed, for some time now. And, after hearing of his alliance with a certain boy, Saber couldn't help but want to know more, brutal approach aside.
Lelouch Lamperouge, the boy from her homeland and supposed prince of the current royal family.
He was a mystery as he participated in the war without much in the way of magecraft talent or even a selfish wish like all the other Masters. And yet Saber had a deep-seated interest in the boy. Arturia didn't understand why, but she felt something within her whenever she saw the young lad.
Was it because he was from Britain? Can't be, else she'd sense the same from Kayneth Archibald, Sola-Ui, or Waver Velvet. It was only seeing Lelouch Lamperouge that she'd get the sensation. There was something… odd about him. Something strange… and off-putting. But Saber couldn't tell what she felt. It mattered little in the current situation but subconsciously persisted, nonetheless.
SPLASH
"Are you awake now, Lady Sophia-Ri?"
Kiritsugu suddenly splashed the contents of a bottle over the woman tied to her seat. The magic formation beneath her glowed, preventing any magecraft she attempted to call upon defensively. But as soon as she was conscious and aware of her surroundings, and her situation, the poor woman nearly shrieked as she recognized the man before her.
"Y-you…!" Her voice, barely audible as a croak, died when he interjected. "You're—!"
"Let's cut to the chase so it'll be easier for all of us. I apologize for how roughly my assistant has treated you since last night," he motioned to Maiya. "However, I'm in a rush for answers. Answers I need now—"
"Whatever you want!" Sola-Ui definitely wasn't the bravest soul. Nor was she the most graceful under pressure as she immediately broke down into tears. Then again, Maiya's rough handling must've left an impression on her. "I'll—I'll give you anything! J-just… please… Let me leave… Please! I have nothing to do with this war anymore! I—I…"
"Then, answer me with only the facts." Kiritsugu's tone remained as cold as ice. His expression remained unmoved by the begging. "Do so, and we'll let you off quicker."
The dried tear streaks were dampened once more. The threat of more torture had her singing like a songbird. Lady Sola-Ui told them everything. Or anything that would convince her captors she was worth keeping alive.
For the next few minutes, she talked. The moment she and her fiancé arrived in Japan. The relationship between Lancer's and Rider's Masters. Even the events that led to the beginning and end of their alliance with Avenger and her Master. She went into great detail about how she, as well as her former betrothed, completely underestimated their once ally and that it was he who approached her, convincing her to abandon Kayneth and exit from the war entirely.
"You mean to tell me… it was the boy's idea to take out Tokiomi and his Servant?" Suspicious was the only word to describe Kiritsugu's tone. "Are you saying he was capable enough to fool a Lord as well as one of the most cunning magi in Japan?"
"It's the truth!" she begged for them to believe her. "He's the one who formulated the whole thing! He even convinced Kayneth to use that worm-infested creep, Matou Kariya, instead of just stealing Berserker from him for that end alone!"
"He used Berserker to take out Archer alongside Avenger," said Kiritsugu as he tried to reconfirm their findings. "Then he played your fiancé into getting blown up alongside Kotomine Kirei and Tohsaka Tokiomi?"
"Yes!"
It sounded surreal. That a boy as young as he would be able to manipulate men far more powerful than himself… was unsettling, especially for the Servant who believed him to be a descendant of her bloodline.
'To think… there would be a day a Pendragon would go down such a path…' Saber kept her silence but balled her fist. 'Then again, I'm not one to speak, am I?'
A repeat of irony. She couldn't criticize the boy for his ruthlessness the same way she couldn't criticize someone for mishandling their marriage. She was just the same as either of them. A damning similarity to both her summoner and successor alike.
"What else do you know about Berserker's Master, Matou Kariya?" Kiritsugu pressed the weeping woman. Despite not holding a gun to her head, she might as well have been staring down the barrel as she kept her eyes on his hollow black orbs.
"Th—that man won't last… And neither will his Servant…" she mumbled through her fear before swallowing. "His capability as a magus is shoddy at best, practically useless at worst. He's only able to manage because of the… insect familiars he has inside him… They provide enough mana for Berserker… but because they use his flesh and blood for replenishment, he'd have expired in less than a day or two. In order to make proper use of Berserker, the boy had me make suppressants and pain killers keep the familiars at bay, but…"
When she bit her tongue, unable to give a precise measurement, Maiya kicked one of the legs of her seat as a threat. All the while asking, "How long does he have?"
"It was a limited supply! A… A week or two at most! But…" she paused once more to catch her breath. "Given that I can only suppress them if he calls upon Berserker for too long, the worms' survival instincts will kick in and continue to eat at him again. At worst, he has a couple of days, maybe less…"
Magi using such cruel devices on themselves in their quest for power was despicable. It was bad enough that their Servant equivalent was willing to use children as sacrifices. However, Kiritsugu's next few words were enough to cause Arturia to bite her own tongue.
"Then, Lelouch Lamperouge need only press Berserker's Master to attack either us or Rider before his tool expires."
"Yes! That's likely his plan! He had me plant Kayneth's bomb as soon as he suspected betrayal!"
Lady Sola-Ui's confession brought new light to the boy. Saver couldn't say it was very bright. It was enlightening, but nothing positive seemed to come of this. For her own flesh and blood to be so… callous with using human lives for his own goals… it was a dreadful realization.
'Using his own all like this, just to betray him in the end. I didn't think he was capable.' Or maybe she did and just didn't want to see it that way. Compared to the many young men and knights of her time, there were hundreds if not thousands that believed in the chivalrous ways she championed. But upon eying her real Master, she faltered into equivocating the similarity. 'No. Lelouch cannot be the same as Kiritsugu… He just… can't!'
To think she'd be related to someone who would see things like her Master… it was abhorrent. Then again, Morgan existed, did she not?
'Still, what of his Servant? What does Avenger see in him that she would willingly march alongside that boy?'
Saber's thoughts on the Japanese Servant weren't kind. She wasn't someone who could be called a chivalrous heroic spirit. Then again, that person was lacking in heroism entirely. She could only be an antagonist if Saber were to judge. The best comparison of a person she had of Avenger was Mordred at her worst. But when the traitorous knight still had an honour that followed the chivalry code to some extent, the image that redheaded demoness painted of herself was far more petty and bloody than the Knight of Betrayal.
Unlike Mordred who instigated civil war for the sake of the crown, Avenger looked to be the type to slaughter merely because her foes had been a thorn in her side for too long.
Snapping out of her contemplation, Saber continued to watch from the sidelines as Kiritsugu moved on to getting Rider's location out of the woman.
"And you're certain of Waver Velvet's location?"
"Y-yes!" Sola nodded furiously. "I—I sent a familiar and scouted the area. Kayneth's student and his Servant were there. I swear!"
"Very well." Kiritsugu's black coattail swirled with him as he made for the door. "I'll assert your claims. Until then you will stay here."
"But… But I was telling the truth! Wait, please—!"
"Lady Sola-Ui, I have a few questions for you." Fearing this may be her only chance at conversation, Saber tried to speak to their captive. Her Master glanced at her but only sighed with indifference. He neither cared nor bothered with her so long as she didn't get in their way of victory, but this time, she wanted to know something.
"—I, wait—! You…" However, the instant she made her presence known to the woman, all the fear and dread in Sola-Ui's expression was replaced by hate. Her words were spat out with a heavy dose of venom. "You're that Saber… You… were the one who killed Diarmuid! You're the one who killed my Diarmuid!"
Saber paused at the sudden change in tone. It was only when Irisviel broke the silence that her attention snapped back to reality. "Is… Is she under some sort of spell?"
A mere glance alone would have anyone thinking that. For someone who was so scared for her own life earlier, she was certainly far less fearful now that she glared at Saber. The hate in her eyes were reminiscent of those families who despised seeing the killer of their beloved.
It was a nostalgic feeling for a former King such as her.
"Lady Sola-Ui, please. Calm yourself. You must already be aware that Diarmuid Ua Duibhne's curse has charmed you into infatuation. Your feelings for him aren't real—"
"THEY'RE REAL TO ME!" she screamed, surprising everyone, even eliciting a glare over the shoulder from her deadpan Master's gaze. As they watched, the tortured woman started to speak with a passion they hadn't seen from her before. "What do you know, you bitch?! All my life, I was told what to do by my family. Forced to study what I didn't like. Forced to marry a man I didn't care about. Forced to be an obedient doll all for their sake! And when I finally tasted what real love feels like… what real freedom felt like, it just had to be taken away by you!" If glares could curse, Saber would've been long dead a hundred times over. "You… took my darling away from me… You killed him… I—I just wanted to be free… To be happy abandoning this war for him. Even if it meant Kayneth was killed, I didn't give a damn! He deserved it even before he got Lancer killed!"
"But… he was your betrothed—?"
"I DID NOT LOVE THAT BASTARD!" her screech would've likely been heard by the neighbours had there not been a bounded field in place. "Do you know what it's like to spend your life in a marriage you didn't want to be part of? To be nothing but a political tool… a prize to show to others?! There is no love… There is no freedom… Only despair… Despair I couldn't even throw aside because you had to kill him with your own hands!"
Arturia didn't say anything more. She knew. More than this tortured soul cared to realize, she knew what it was like to be married to a person who didn't have romantic feelings for you. Guinevere, her good friend, was just the same as Lady Sola-Ui. A victim because of necessity. Another confidence needed to preserve her lie.
Since King Arthur was believed to be a man, it was expected of her to marry and have a queen. Guinevere was the one who had to suffer this fate. And, despite it being out of her own choice, she suffered for it. Marriage without love, built on a lie she and Merlin had to bring to the grave. It shouldn't be surprising it all ended in tragedy. The same fate would have befallen Lady Sola-Ui had she not met her 'Lancelot'.
Guinevere, like their raving captive, was just a woman who was denied her happiness and love. It was no surprise that she would eventually find someone who would be able to give her that love. But as Arturia's 'queen', attaining it was a whole other debacle in and of itself. She couldn't express her love to Lancelot. Not when both were pressured by their roles in her kingdom and had no choice but to meet in the shadows. People called it adultery and betrayal against the King's trust. But in truth, Artoria was ready to close her eyes on this. She was the King of Britain. The time for romance and such was forbidden to her, hence she'd allow this grievance if it would alleviate the burden she'd forced upon her 'wife'.
If only Mordred wasn't so keen on getting her throne…
Saber could only sigh. '… I can understand her struggle… but it does not justify betraying her intended.'
The act of betrayal was one she was very much familiar with. More often than not, it was the very antithesis of her legend. But it seems her legacy seeped in it as well.
'Lelouch Lamperouge isn't better. He took advantage of Lady Sola-Ui while she was hurt and vulnerable. Convincing her to act as a tool of his treachery, even if it was to prevent being betrayed, to begin with, he… he…' Arturia couldn't help but let the bile fester in her mouth. More so when she considered the mindsets of all the other participants of the war apart from her false Master and Rider's own.
Selfish magi, cowardly sneaks, a bonafide serial killer. What was there to expect but depravity and backstabbing?
'Not a single shred of decency. Not a smidgen of chivalry or honour. Do none of the humans today have any sense of principle? Of decency?! Even Merlin was more reasonable compared to all of them!'
That she'd see the day her old teacher was the better of many in terms of decency, the old her would've scoffed at such folly. But cowed by the woman's words, and the heaviness behind them, she could do nothing except hold her tongue until they left her be.
After all, who was she to speak ill of the sins of others when she herself had committed them just the same in her time?
Saber and Irisviel left Sola-Ui with Maiya remaining by her side as a guard, or an executioner should she try anything funny. Kiritsugu had soon left to scout out Rider's location with nary a word to her or his wife. Despite the man's quick turn to action, Saber couldn't help but doubt whether she should truly act in loyalty to him. She wouldn't put it past the man to make an attempt on Waver Velvet's life through unscrupulous methods while he was away. The boy Waver was perhaps the most innocent master compared to others, now that she thought about it. Arturia hoped beyond hope that Kiritsugu would spare the young man, but she highly doubted he'd even give her the time of day.
"Are you alright, Saber?" The silver-haired lady's words were filled with genuine concern. "Are you unhappy with something?"
"I should be the one to ask about your wellbeing, Irisviel." Saber replied with a small smile, but that quickly turned into a frown when the crimson-eyed gaze of her homunculus keeper maintained her stare. "But yes. I won't deny that I'm… a bit disappointed."
"Is it about that boy who claims to be your descendant?"
She nodded slightly but refused to meet her gaze. Instead, emerald orbs looked up into the cloudy and open skies above. "My progeny is… I must admit, it had been a concern for me earlier when I first met him. I thought that by coming to cross blades with his Servant, I might be denying him something he and his own deserved. But now…" Her upturned gaze fell to the earth, as did her tone. "I can see that he shares an alarming amount of similarities to his foes and other magi in general. Perhaps… Since he was from my homeland, I had hoped he would've been… closer to my ideal… Well, closer than Kiritsugu ever will be."
She didn't notice the weakened woman bite her lip. "Saber, Kiritsugu only wants what is best for all of us—"
"You keep saying that, yet I haven't seen anything that would prove—!" the knight forced her mouth shut. She'd quipped far too hard to someone not responsible for the ire. "Forgive me, Irisviel. But please, take a look at yourself and tell me I'm wrong. You've seemingly grown weaker the past few days and it is only by your request that I did not pry… And yet, it seems your husband has seemingly chosen to not see to your needs. He just acts as if you aren't there. Why is that?"
"It's… complicated…" Irisviel broke the staring contest first. As though she wanted to keep things to herself, she didn't explain. Again.
But Saber was losing her patience. "If he is your husband, shouldn't he show more support towards you? Why is it that you both continue with this silence and feign ignorance?"
Irisviel looked down. Nay, she looked away. As though there were things she couldn't tell Saber, she held her tongue. What could there be that she would choose silence over resolution? Saber didn't know. It's not as if there was some big secret Irisviel had been hiding that would crush her very soul. Why must she look away? Why… did she continue to smile… despite suffering so?
The knight within Arturia wanted to pry, to help. But the King within also demanded she remains silent, to keep out of concerns that didn't matter to her. It was… difficult. More so than facing a dragon for that problem, one need simply continue to hit it to solve it. But here, at this time, she wondered something…
'Is this what Lancelot felt when he'd tried to assist Guinevere…?'
A damning thought to be reminded of those long gone. To be in the same helpless position as they were. But, nay. Saber would not fall into that same scenario as her most loyal knight and her dependable queen. The memory of those who took her secret to the grave and only betrayed her out of love did not deserve to be marred by her follies and concerns.
It was after a long silence that she spoke once more. "I told you once before, didn't I? That Kiritsugu and I simply want to make this world a better place."
"And I find that a beautiful wish, no matter who desires it… But with each passing day, it becomes harder and harder to believe that it's what Kiritsugu wants. I have seen heroes who were forced to commit terrible deeds, but never have I met a person who would willingly throw themselves on the path to hell for the good of all. Kiritsugu is that sort of person."
Once, she thought of villainy as a sin. That those who resorted to it embraced villainy in its entirety. She was but a naïve squire back then. Many men would be forced to commit atrocities for the sake of their own. Battlefield after battlefield, she'd seen such bloodshed done for the sake of their homes, families, and people. But what she saw here was not that. It was just wanton murder for the sake of it. For why else would Emiya Kiritsugu turn to kill all who stand in his way if not for the sake of killing itself?
"The only solutions I have seen him use is murder and lies." Neither sparing the innocent nor showing mercy to the defeated. He was very much the same as those magi he wanted to beat in the race for the Holy Grail. Blood was cheap. And his indifference to murder was very much clear on that. So much so that Saber couldn't help but stare worriedly at the wife who stood by him all this time. "If this is the approach he continues to take on his path to fix the world, then I'm worried if the designs he has for the Grail are even worth it…"
Nothing was worth the senseless sacrifices. Peace on earth bought with blood was the same as a sin of betrayal, staining that which is pure because one refused to take the hard-fought path. Escaping to the easiest road with greater casualties… it was despicable for a King who should've stood as the symbol of perfect victory. Of infallible righteousness.
Even though she would sooner cast that mantle aside for someone who would do better in her stead.
"Saber…Ngh—?!"
"Huh, Iris—?!"
As soon as her faux Master felt it, so too did Saber sense their arrival. The gust of wind tore through the bounded field from above and he made his presence known upon a chariot that flew faster than lightning.
"R-Rider?!"
"S-so… they managed… to find us…" Irisviel grunted as she crumpled to her knees.
Motes of blue light shimmered to life about her as the magical battle regalia of King Arthur enveloped Saber's form. The holy sword enveloped by fae winds materialized in hand and was soon held towards the invader with Saber standing before her exhausted charge.
"This is bad…" Even without muttering to herself, it was an established fact. Kiritsugu was already long gone, but with the Macedonian King and his Master present here, they were very much at a disadvantage. If any fighting were to occur—
"Calm yourself, Saber." The giant of a man's voice bellowed from atop his chariot. "I didn't come to destroy your new abode if that's what you're worried about."
"So you say, King of Conquerors," Saber's guard didn't drop. "But as you have a bad habit of arriving uninvited, you'd have to pardon my alarm."
"As is deserved. But stay your blade, girl. I've not come to cause a mess in such a beautiful home."
She didn't relent but deigned him to continue with a nod. He responded by nudging his Master who threw a scroll over to her feet. Inching forward delicately, she managed to pick it up and pull the cord holding the scroll together.
She expected a trap. She expected some sort of attack.
What she did not expect was an entire meter-long parchment's worth of paper used as a notice of challenge with the said word 'CHALLENGE' inscribed with perfect calligraphy down the entire length of the scroll.
"What joke is this?"
"It is not a joke, it is a challenge! A traditional message conveyed before we cross swords with all our might!" boomed the moronic king whose attempts at bravado and shamelessness fell flat when his young Master cowered in the chariot, cheeks red with embarrassment. "What? Don't tell me your circle of knights has never received more showy demands for a duel before! I have come demanding exactly that! A duel! One where we decide between ourselves who is most deserving of the title 'King'. Or will you relent and surrender to me unconditionally, little girl?"
That struck Saber's nerves. Amongst the many issues she had since being summoned, she'd almost forgotten the words of this oaf being the most blatant, insensitive, and insulting of them all. Almost. She respected his history, she respected his skill, but the one thing she wouldn't ever respect was kingship as a tyrant. Even if he was kind enough to note the location of their duel being a fair distance away from the residential area, she refused to accept this bumbling buffoon as anything remotely resembling a king.
But… unlike most other participants in this war, he was not partnered with a Master as twisted and vile as the rest. Even now, the young man peeking over at her from the safety of the chariot was as meek as a lamb and hardly eyed her with animosity. Just innocent wariness. Catching sight of Irisviel, Saber noted the slight concern from the boy, but being who they were to one another, he couldn't act on it.
Truly, a person undeserving of the slaughter her true Master would befall him should Kiritsugu catch them both unawares.
But what if they didn't have to meet? What if she ended Rider and his Master's involvement in the war right here and now? Knowing the threat the Servant posed now that they were found out, she might as well deal with the problem before it was too late. In that same vein, she'd deal with it in her own way, through her own tried and trusted method of killing only those who would persist and sparing the innocent from senseless slaughter.
Eyeing the scroll of challenge, she noted the painstaking detail Rider and his Master must've put into it. A farce for an ancient king to partake in, but she couldn't deny that Iskandar went about things as he saw it fit. In a way, this was his own sense of chivalry, was it not? To face her directly and defeat her outright before claiming victory.
Saber sighed. "Very well. I accept your challenge, despite the banalities of your means."
"You don't have to put it like that, do you?" the braggart of a king chuckled with a grin. "I hear this is how men of this era issue challenge to their sworn rivals. A vague reminiscence to times of old when countries declared war on one another, is it not?"
It may as well have been. But alone as she was, Saber couldn't account for someone going around her back. Yet, she couldn't help but ask directly. "I take it you will not mean to stab me in the back during this, however?"
"Of course! I have no need to play dirty when crushing your spirit in direct combat would suffice in my conquest! Do not forget, I acknowledge your strength as a knight, even if I spurn your right as the king!" The insult had her subconsciously releasing mana through her weapon. For the briefest of moments, her blade lit up the place with radiant fae light before vanishing once more under the guise of Invisible Air. Rider hadn't so much as flinched at the weak attempt of intimidation. "I expect you to go all out, girl. Show me that you aren't all words and platitudes. Otherwise, feel free to forsake your people and kingdom, King of Knights. For I shall conquer and succeed all! HYA!"
Rider's reins cracked with energy as the bulls dragging his chariot caught speed. Dust blew up as the ionized atmosphere overtook Saber's sense of smell. Just as sudden as he was to arrive, so too was his speed in fleeing. Such was the speed of the Rider class, leaving nothing but a bold entrance and similarly thunderous escape. Saber's fist balled up the letter of challenge pressed by her new foe.
"Saber… don't—" Irisviel struggled to get back up on her feet. Having already fallen too weak, the shattering of her bounded field once more weakened her further than she must've expected. She could only mumble as Saber nodded her way with a small smile.
"Wait here, Irisviel. Call Kiritsugu and inform him. I shall engage Rider in the meantime."
"But you mustn't—!" Before Irisviel could finish, Saber was gone. Jumping into the air and out of the magical hole Rider made on the perimeter's barrier, she landed near the entrance to the residence where her bike was parked. At her command, the engine revved once before she was speeding off, racing after Rider's still-visible flight path.
Even if what she was doing was wrong, even if they would all reject her for the choices she made, she would stand by them. An idealistic king, she may have been, but there was nothing wrong in seeing through what one believed to be correct.
If she could end this war with as small a number of casualties as she could, then she would. For it was her honour at stake. And Arturia Pendragon had her name, her kingdom, and her wish for a peaceful world to protect.
Having left three women alone and unguarded by anything beyond a human assassin's capabilities, another Servant watching in the distance smiled at the smooth execution of her darling's plan.
__________
Irisviel struggled to get to her feet.
'I have to stop her! This… this is a trap!' A trap her husband's Servant had fallen for, hook, line, and sinker.
Bar the fact that Rider did indeed pose a threat, he'd drawn Saber away far too easily. The young knight must've been thinking too hard on things, and Irisviel hesitates to reveal anything but the truth may as well have pushed the girl into taking things on her own shoulders.
'It's my own fault…' She couldn't do it. She couldn't break the girl's heart by telling Saber her wish wouldn't come to fruition. At the end of the day, Irisviel von Einzbern was like any other magus in this war, tricking their Servants for a chance at false hope. Dangling the incentive of a wish before them despite knowing full well no Servant will ever survive a successful Holy Grail Ritual in the end. 'I'm sorry… Saber. But… I can't let you know of this burden…'
For the sake of her wish, for the sake of the man who gave her a human heart, she couldn't mess this up. Even if her body crumbled to dust and took the form of the accursed chalice many sought after, she couldn't ruin Kiritsugu's chance at salvation.
"Madam!" the only other person who shared her burden of secrecy cried out from the entrance of the shed. Leaving Sola-Ui's side would've been prudent, but that would've been only if the woman had the means to escape on her own. Maiya's priority now lay with her, the Grail vessel that looked like it was about to expire at any moment. "Madam, can you stand?"
"I… can…" Irisviel was hardly able to say it straight, but she did her best to remain composed. "But… more importantly… We must inform Kiritsugu… Saber… Saber's in danger!"
Maiya didn't even waste time responding. With a nod, she pulled out her handheld phone and was about to activate its speed dial. However,
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." BOOM
The device was shot out of Maiya's hand with such precision, the only wounds the woman assassin suffered were from the shards of the shattered plastic cutting the skin of her cheek and fingers.
Both stared at the source of the gunshot as well as the voice. There, standing atop the high wall of the property, clad in her casual clothes, a redhead smiled down upon them with a feral grin.
Irisviel held her breath, knowing now who had set Rider up against them. "Avenger—"
"The one and only! My, here I thought Saber was more the diplomatic think-before-leaping sort, but it seems I'm not the only one who has a bone to pick with that brute. Best not waste the time that Fool Rider bought us." The Servant sighed, looking a little disappointed. "Honestly, that bastard should've just got it over and done with on the spot! Why invite her somewhere else, I guess I'll never understand." Spying them from her vantage point, the exasperated scowl turned menacingly entertained. "Still, here we expected any number of traps or the like, but it seems we worried for nothing."
"We?" Maiya tried to buy time whilst hiding a hand behind her back. Irisviel spotted the gun on her belt and tried to wordlessly warn against putting up a struggle. However, her exhaustion didn't allow for much except leaning against her last guardian helplessly.
"Why, my Master and myself, of course. But you need not worry about it." Avenger leapt up from the wall and swiftly landed not a few meters before them. Her smile remained, deservedly as her aura alone enforced a clear sign of superiority over them at the moment. "Now, milady Einzbern. I need you to come with me. There is something… my Master needs to discuss with you."
"Madam, on my signal, I need you to run."
Irisviel didn't even have time to acknowledge the suggestion when, after being pushed aside, towards the gates of the premises, Maiya tried to distract the Servant.
Pulling out a gun and combat knife could be considered a futile idea against a foe that could appear behind you at a moment's notice. But even now, Irisviel knew how little Hisau Maiya cared for her own life. If it was for the sake of Kiritsugu's victory, she too would throw her life away at the drop of a hat. If she could by time via her death, it would be worth it.
But sadly, such selfless and reckless struggle meant little to a heroic spirit.
"Hm. You have the right instincts, woman. But the wrong body." Avenger didn't even draw a weapon. She didn't bother pulling out her blade or summoning a musket. All she did was suddenly appear before Maiya, catch her by the forearm arm, mid knife-charge, then tossed her to the side with enough force to collapse the shed wall. "Maybe you can try me again, once you're a heroic spirit, that is."
"Maiya!" Irisviel's cries fell on deaf ears. Her husband's longtime assistant lay unmoving as the rubble dropped around her. She still breathed, but the force of the impact must've rattled her skull in more ways than one. "Maiya—GUH!"
"Haaah… all this struggle when you can't even handle me… Guess you should've kept a tighter leash on your attack dog." Irisviel would've screamed out her name again but was immediately silenced when Avenger punched her in the gut. Fallen unconscious, she was tossed over Avenger's shoulders like a sack of potatoes. "Okay, that's one job down—"
"Let… her… go…"
"Hm?" Something caught Avenger's eye as it stirred from the side. Crumbling remnants of the shed's walls shifted as a hand attempted to pull itself out of the pile. "Oh wow. You actually survived that one? I thought a normal human would die with that much strength alone!"
Despite knowing how many of her bones were broken, Maiya was still determined and aiming her gun at her overwhelmingly powerful foe's face.
BANG
"Hahah, nope." Avenger casually tilted her head to avoid a bullet that would do little apart from scratch her makeup. But she'd rather not be scared before meeting her Master, hence her avoiding it. "Not a bad aim, mercenary. Given time, you could've been something… more." Avenger approached her even as the woman emptied the magazine at her head. All shots missed, barely even scratching her hair, but as she struggled to reload her weapon, a thought came to her charge's kidnapper. "Hey, if you care so much about this Einzbern, does it mean he cares for you just as much? Enough to want to protect you as well?"
"Ngah!" Maiya neither understood nor comprehended the words. Even at her lowest, the most she could do was draw the hidden blade in her working wrist and stab it into Avenger's shoe. It didn't do anything to the heeled boot, however. But Avenger was kind enough to crush her wrist underfoot. "GAAAAAAAAAH—!"
"That's a nice scream," Avenger remarked. "I wonder how your scary assassin pet will react seeing his partner and employer both screaming like that."
"You… wouldn't—"
"Oh, but I would. It's my Master's orders, after all."
A flick to her forehead had Hisau Maiya's final thoughts swirling into unconsciousness. The thought of her becoming a hostage alongside the madam, even if she knew full well and accepted that Kiritsugu wouldn't waste time saving a tool like her, the fact that she'd now become a burden was all that accompanied the tears streaking down with the blood from her forehead.
"And now we have two! I hope Lelouch likes the bonus souvenir…" Avenger giggled to herself before pausing to stare into the hole in the shed wall. "Ara, ara… Now, this is surprising!" she commented as she eyed a tied-up Sola-Ui. "You're… the one Kayneth wanted to protect so badly, yes? Er… Sola-something, right?"
Honestly, she sounded like she could care less what the woman's name was. But said a woman in question looked both terrified and excited to see her. "A-A-A-Avenger! Please save me! That bastard the Magus Killer captured me and forced me to tell him everything! I—I can be useful to you and Lamperouge! Please, help—!"
"You… told them everything, you say?" The amused smile on Avenger's face froze. Her eyes sharpened with a small flicker of fire. "How… disappointing. Hm. Well, whatever. Where is this Magus Killer right now?"
"I-I don't know… I swear, I don't!" the look on her face very much said she was clueless. She definitely was, having not noticed Avenger's frown overtaking the amusement. "But, please! Get me out of this! I know I said I'd leave after we ended our alliance, but if you let me go, I can—!"
"Nah."
"Eh?" Sola-Ui just about squeaked as Avenger picked up Hisau Maiya's unconscious and injured form and swung it over her other shoulder. "What… did you… eh?!"
"I said 'nah'. You're a liability now, Solar lady. And my darling has no need of another burden at this stage of the war. Don't you agree?"
"B-but… I helped you! I helped both of you to kill my bastard fiancé—!"
"And you have our eternal gratitude for that!" Avenger turned away with nary a glance to the helpless prisoner. "If it makes you sleep easier, we'll make sure neither yours nor Lancer's deaths will be in vain. Catch you in hell!"
"Eh? What? What do you— WHAT DOES THAT—?!"
The woman's cries hitched when two dozen rifles shimmered into existence above Avenger's head. Without even looking, merely snapping her fingers like she was lighting a cigarette, all weapons opened fire, getting rid of the liability to her darling's scheme.
As screams of terror were crushed under the weight of a crumbling building, Oda Nobunaga left the Emiya residence with two hostages in tow. It was on to the next phase of the plan.