Nasuverse Holding Back the Sea
- Thread starter Ryuugi
- Start date
XxXXxX
ôTheyàran away?ö Waver asked, surprised.
ôNo,ö Rider quickly shot down, before Waver could even start to feel relieved. ôTwo have died, but we know for sure that those two are left. We now know for a fact that, somehow, there is more than one Assassin, but we donÆt know for sure how many more. As such, this is a bad place for usùbecause this is an ideal place for the Assassins. In this case, itÆs better for us to simply retreat.ö
Rider gestured towards the chariot, his eyes never leaving the darkness or the enemies contained withinùthe fact that he could not see those enemies only made things worse.
ôBoy, get to the chariot. Once we take off, the enemy wonÆt have a chance to strike.ö
RiderÆs entire attitude had changed from when heÆd rode in like the King he was. Now, he was more cautious. Although a part of him wanted to continue his advance, logic had made him carefullyùthe presence of the Assassins that had managed to draw so close to his Master without him noticing had left him feeling extremely threatened.
But to Berserker, he seemed like a wounded tigerùif anything, being threatened in this way would do nothing but make him even more dangerous once he had a plan.
ôThis placeàis it really okay if we just leave it as it is?ö Waver asked, staring straight down.
Truthfully, he wanted nothing more than to leaveùeven now, he couldnÆt even muster the will needed to raise his head and look at the horrors in this room. Butàif they examined it thoroughlyùthe mere thought of which made Waver nauseousùthey might find something useful about CasterÆs plans or location.
ôIÆll check it out.ö Berserker said. ôAnd after IÆm done, IÆll tear it downùif nothing else, that might hinder Caster somewhat.ö
ôAre there any survivors?ö Waver asked.
Berserker scanner the room, his expression grim.
ôùCertainly, there are those that are æalive,Æ butàis there anyone in this city with enough skill to heal them?ö Berserker wondered.
WaverÆs stomach lurched as he thought about it.
Those woundsàand that many peopleà
Waver shook his head in response to BerserkerÆs question. Surely somewhere in the world there was a Magus that could do it, but if so, Waver had no idea who they were.
BerserkerÆs expression became even grimmer.
ôIn that caseàit would be kinder to simply kill them. GoùIÆll do it. Perhaps IÆll find someone who can still be saved.ö
Once Berserker had escorted Waver to the chariot, Rider carefully followed. Only once he had taken the reigns did he relax.
ôWhen this is over and Caster is dead, you and I should drink together,ö Rider said. ôAnd drown these feelings.ö
ôOnce this is over, IÆll throw a celebrationùperhaps even Archer will attend. With some luck, he might be easier to tolerate while heÆs drunk.ö Berserker tried to joke.
Rider nodded at his fellow Servant with a suddenly solemn expression.
ôTake care, Berserker.ö
Berserker returned the gesture.
ôAnd you Rider.ö
XxXXxX
ôTheyàran away?ö Waver asked, surprised.
ôNo,ö Rider quickly shot down, before Waver could even start to feel relieved. ôTwo have died, but we know for sure that those two are left. We now know for a fact that, somehow, there is more than one Assassin, but we donÆt know for sure how many more. As such, this is a bad place for usùbecause this is an ideal place for the Assassins. In this case, itÆs better for us to simply retreat.ö
Rider gestured towards the chariot, his eyes never leaving the darkness or the enemies contained withinùthe fact that he could not see those enemies only made things worse.
ôBoy, get to the chariot. Once we take off, the enemy wonÆt have a chance to strike.ö
RiderÆs entire attitude had changed from when heÆd rode in like the King he was. Now, he was more cautious. Although a part of him wanted to continue his advance, logic had made him carefullyùthe presence of the Assassins that had managed to draw so close to his Master without him noticing had left him feeling extremely threatened.
But to Berserker, he seemed like a wounded tigerùif anything, being threatened in this way would do nothing but make him even more dangerous once he had a plan.
ôThis placeàis it really okay if we just leave it as it is?ö Waver asked, staring straight down.
Truthfully, he wanted nothing more than to leaveùeven now, he couldnÆt even muster the will needed to raise his head and look at the horrors in this room. Butàif they examined it thoroughlyùthe mere thought of which made Waver nauseousùthey might find something useful about CasterÆs plans or location.
ôIÆll check it out.ö Berserker said. ôAnd after IÆm done, IÆll tear it downùif nothing else, that might hinder Caster somewhat.ö
ôAre there any survivors?ö Waver asked.
Berserker scanner the room, his expression grim.
ôùCertainly, there are those that are æalive,Æ butàis there anyone in this city with enough skill to heal them?ö Berserker wondered.
WaverÆs stomach lurched as he thought about it.
Those woundsàand that many peopleà
Waver shook his head in response to BerserkerÆs question. Surely somewhere in the world there was a Magus that could do it, but if so, Waver had no idea who they were.
BerserkerÆs expression became even grimmer.
ôIn that caseàit would be kinder to simply kill them. GoùIÆll do it. Perhaps IÆll find someone who can still be saved.ö
Once Berserker had escorted Waver to the chariot, Rider carefully followed. Only once he had taken the reigns did he relax.
ôWhen this is over and Caster is dead, you and I should drink together,ö Rider said. ôAnd drown these feelings.ö
ôOnce this is over, IÆll throw a celebrationùperhaps even Archer will attend. With some luck, he might be easier to tolerate while heÆs drunk.ö Berserker tried to joke.
Rider nodded at his fellow Servant with a suddenly solemn expression.
ôTake care, Berserker.ö
Berserker returned the gesture.
ôAnd you Rider.ö
XxXXxX
XxXXxX
Less than an hour later, Berserker felt exhausted. He sat by the corpse of a young girl, which was one of the reasons he felt so tired.
HeÆd been the one to kill her.
Horrifyingly, it had been the right thing to do. SheÆd been part of a strange instrument, apparentlyùspecifically, her intestines had been the instrument and her screams had been the music. A spell of some sort had been used to keep her alive and sheÆd been crying weakly when heÆd found her, having been here for a while.
The spell had already been running outùit would have broken completely before long.
Killing her had just meant she wouldnÆt have to suffer anymore.
It had been the right thing to doà
But that didnÆt make doing it hurt any less when he held her as she died.
She was hardly the only one heÆd killed so farùhe had yet to find anyone that could be saved. Each of them had seemed more at peace in death then as CasterÆs horrid toys, but that did little to ease BerserkerÆs pain at just seeing them like this.
He hated Caster. Now more than ever, he hated him. He wanted him dead and would prefer if he suffered while he died, if at all possible.
But anger would accomplish nothing down here. He could let the anger rise higher and higher, burning like a sun until he literally trembled with rage, butàwhat would that do for him down here? Would that rage comfort dying children? Would it ease their suffering or help them at all?
No. All it would do was make him feel better while he distracted himself with thoughts of what he was going to do to Caster. And right now, neither he nor Caster was importantùonly the people that were down here mattered.
Later, he would be back on the surfaceùand when he was, he could let that anger run loose. He could hunt Caster down single-mindedly and think of nothing else until he found himùhe could tear the bastard to pieces or drown him or burn him alive or whatever was running through his mind while he finally caught up with the sick bastard.
But not right now.
He could put his feelings away for a while for the sake of the people down hereùhis hatred wasnÆt so small that he needed to worry about letting it fade.
So he closed the girlÆs eyes, sent a prayer to Hades, and stood.
He was done. All the life signs in this room had faded and he couldnÆt sense anyone elseùhe could leave this place right now, tear it down, and literally set his hound after Caster. It would be easy for himùas the Son of the Earthshaker and he could bring this tunnel down with a mere effort of will.
But he hesitated, for something told him not to. That Instinct heÆd always trusted urged him to stay his handùsomeone was still down here.
But even if his instincts said that, he couldnÆt sense anyone.
Thenà
Berserker closed his eyes. In moments, water began to wash into the chamber, until the floor was completely covered in an inch of water.
And then, at a flexing of his will, the entirety of it began to evaporate. In seconds, the chamber was filled completely with a very light fog as the gas immediately tried to fill the largest area possible, even as he kept it from leaving the room through the tunnel.
But in the winter months, it was cold, especially here below ground. The water began to condensate almost immediately, further egged on by its MasterÆs will, quickly coating everything with droplets of water.
Berserker waited. If the water was in contact with anything that could generate heat, it would begin to evaporate. If it was on something moving, he should be able to feel it move, too.
There.
He was by her side in an instantùfor it was a her. A young girl with pale skin and purple eyes and hairùhe was instantly reminded of Sakura.
The girl shrieked at his sudden appearance, immediately trying to scramble away and in that moment, Berserker realized somethingùshe was completely unharmed.
ôWait, wait!ö He immediately held his hands up. ôIÆm not going to hurt you. IÆm here to help.ö
Since he was still covered in the blood of those monsters and she had probably seen him kill everyone else in here, he wasnÆt surprised she didnÆt believe him.
Even so, his mind raced. She was unharmed, despite being down here. How? He was happy that he would be able to save at least one life, but how was she unharmed.
And then he understood.
He hadnÆt sensed her before. Even now, staring right at her, he couldnÆt sense her presence in the slightest. She faded seamlessly into the darkness, even while she was trembling in abject fear, and Berserker was afraid that if he blinked sheÆd be gone.
Had she really managed to avoid Caster this whole time, even within his own lair?
If soàwhat she must have seenà
It was no wonder she was trembling so hard.
Face solemn, Berserker crouched down to her level.
Someone able to hide her presence so completelyàthe only person he could think of that could do that was Assassin. And yet, this young, terrified girl hardly seemed like an Assassinùthough that could be a lie. Disguising Assassin as a young girl would be an excellent trap.
And if it was one, it was working.
Even if he was suspicious, Berserker wasnÆt going to kill a horrified little girl. Whether she was an Assassin or not, she was an Assassin or not, she needed his help right now and even the other Assassins had left her behind.
Being an enemy Servant didnÆt matter. If it had been any other Servant here, he would do the exact same thing.
If this was a trap, heÆd deal with it. And perhaps it wasnÆt. Maybe this wasnÆt even Assassin at allùmaybe the girl herself had some way to keep from being noticed. How would he know?
So, even knowing it could be a trapàBerserker held out his hand.
ôPleaseàdonÆt worry. IÆm here to rescue you andàIÆm so happy youÆre not hurt. Pleaseàcome with me. IÆll take you out of this place.ö He said.
Slowly, hesitantly, the girl approached. She was weary and looked like she wound bolt any second, so he was careful not to make any sudden moves. But eventually, she was close enough to touch him.
Even then, he didnÆt move. She stretched out a hand slowly, ready to draw back at any moment, slowly touching her fingers to the palm of his hand. After a long, tentative moment, she slid her hand into his and he gently wrapped his fingers around it.
ôCome on.ö He said, smiling brightly. ôLetÆs get out of here.ö
The young girl nodded, tears beginning to gather in her eyes.
Less than an hour later, Berserker felt exhausted. He sat by the corpse of a young girl, which was one of the reasons he felt so tired.
HeÆd been the one to kill her.
Horrifyingly, it had been the right thing to do. SheÆd been part of a strange instrument, apparentlyùspecifically, her intestines had been the instrument and her screams had been the music. A spell of some sort had been used to keep her alive and sheÆd been crying weakly when heÆd found her, having been here for a while.
The spell had already been running outùit would have broken completely before long.
Killing her had just meant she wouldnÆt have to suffer anymore.
It had been the right thing to doà
But that didnÆt make doing it hurt any less when he held her as she died.
She was hardly the only one heÆd killed so farùhe had yet to find anyone that could be saved. Each of them had seemed more at peace in death then as CasterÆs horrid toys, but that did little to ease BerserkerÆs pain at just seeing them like this.
He hated Caster. Now more than ever, he hated him. He wanted him dead and would prefer if he suffered while he died, if at all possible.
But anger would accomplish nothing down here. He could let the anger rise higher and higher, burning like a sun until he literally trembled with rage, butàwhat would that do for him down here? Would that rage comfort dying children? Would it ease their suffering or help them at all?
No. All it would do was make him feel better while he distracted himself with thoughts of what he was going to do to Caster. And right now, neither he nor Caster was importantùonly the people that were down here mattered.
Later, he would be back on the surfaceùand when he was, he could let that anger run loose. He could hunt Caster down single-mindedly and think of nothing else until he found himùhe could tear the bastard to pieces or drown him or burn him alive or whatever was running through his mind while he finally caught up with the sick bastard.
But not right now.
He could put his feelings away for a while for the sake of the people down hereùhis hatred wasnÆt so small that he needed to worry about letting it fade.
So he closed the girlÆs eyes, sent a prayer to Hades, and stood.
He was done. All the life signs in this room had faded and he couldnÆt sense anyone elseùhe could leave this place right now, tear it down, and literally set his hound after Caster. It would be easy for himùas the Son of the Earthshaker and he could bring this tunnel down with a mere effort of will.
But he hesitated, for something told him not to. That Instinct heÆd always trusted urged him to stay his handùsomeone was still down here.
But even if his instincts said that, he couldnÆt sense anyone.
Thenà
Berserker closed his eyes. In moments, water began to wash into the chamber, until the floor was completely covered in an inch of water.
And then, at a flexing of his will, the entirety of it began to evaporate. In seconds, the chamber was filled completely with a very light fog as the gas immediately tried to fill the largest area possible, even as he kept it from leaving the room through the tunnel.
But in the winter months, it was cold, especially here below ground. The water began to condensate almost immediately, further egged on by its MasterÆs will, quickly coating everything with droplets of water.
Berserker waited. If the water was in contact with anything that could generate heat, it would begin to evaporate. If it was on something moving, he should be able to feel it move, too.
There.
He was by her side in an instantùfor it was a her. A young girl with pale skin and purple eyes and hairùhe was instantly reminded of Sakura.
The girl shrieked at his sudden appearance, immediately trying to scramble away and in that moment, Berserker realized somethingùshe was completely unharmed.
ôWait, wait!ö He immediately held his hands up. ôIÆm not going to hurt you. IÆm here to help.ö
Since he was still covered in the blood of those monsters and she had probably seen him kill everyone else in here, he wasnÆt surprised she didnÆt believe him.
Even so, his mind raced. She was unharmed, despite being down here. How? He was happy that he would be able to save at least one life, but how was she unharmed.
And then he understood.
He hadnÆt sensed her before. Even now, staring right at her, he couldnÆt sense her presence in the slightest. She faded seamlessly into the darkness, even while she was trembling in abject fear, and Berserker was afraid that if he blinked sheÆd be gone.
Had she really managed to avoid Caster this whole time, even within his own lair?
If soàwhat she must have seenà
It was no wonder she was trembling so hard.
Face solemn, Berserker crouched down to her level.
Someone able to hide her presence so completelyàthe only person he could think of that could do that was Assassin. And yet, this young, terrified girl hardly seemed like an Assassinùthough that could be a lie. Disguising Assassin as a young girl would be an excellent trap.
And if it was one, it was working.
Even if he was suspicious, Berserker wasnÆt going to kill a horrified little girl. Whether she was an Assassin or not, she was an Assassin or not, she needed his help right now and even the other Assassins had left her behind.
Being an enemy Servant didnÆt matter. If it had been any other Servant here, he would do the exact same thing.
If this was a trap, heÆd deal with it. And perhaps it wasnÆt. Maybe this wasnÆt even Assassin at allùmaybe the girl herself had some way to keep from being noticed. How would he know?
So, even knowing it could be a trapàBerserker held out his hand.
ôPleaseàdonÆt worry. IÆm here to rescue you andàIÆm so happy youÆre not hurt. Pleaseàcome with me. IÆll take you out of this place.ö He said.
Slowly, hesitantly, the girl approached. She was weary and looked like she wound bolt any second, so he was careful not to make any sudden moves. But eventually, she was close enough to touch him.
Even then, he didnÆt move. She stretched out a hand slowly, ready to draw back at any moment, slowly touching her fingers to the palm of his hand. After a long, tentative moment, she slid her hand into his and he gently wrapped his fingers around it.
ôCome on.ö He said, smiling brightly. ôLetÆs get out of here.ö
The young girl nodded, tears beginning to gather in her eyes.
Holding Back the Sea
The March to Battle
The tunnel was still full of the toxic gas that the creatureÆs remains had produced. A human would die just passing through that tunnel, though a Servant would be unaffected.
If he walked through there, it would quickly become obvious whether or not she was and Assassin, as he suspected.
But if she wasnÆtànaturally, she would die. Berserker would never take that risk simply to avoid some danger.
Instead, he held the girl close to his chest to cover her eyes and summoned Mrs. OÆLeary. He understood that the girl would probably be frightened if she same such an enormous, ferocious looking dog, even if he knew Mrs. OÆLeary could be gentle enough to play with children, so he made sure she never saw her. It was a bit more difficult mounting her without using hands, but heÆd had to do it enough times before that he managed quickly enough.
Mrs. OÆLeary didnÆt react to the girl at all, which meant nothing. He still couldnÆt sense her at all and he was holding her in his arms.
ôWeÆre going back to the base,ö He told his hound. ôBut make a quick stop on the surface.
The girl stirred in his arms, reacting to his voice. He moved a gentle hand to her head, stilling her before she could see something frightening.
ôWeÆre going to the place IÆm staying,ö He told her. ôI just need to do something first. Hold on tightùthis can be a bit frightening until you get used to it.ö
Taking that as her cue, Mrs. OÆLeary shadow traveled to the surface. As heÆd expected, as soon as they began, the girl was suddenly clinging to him in fear.
Shadow Traveling was always a strange experience. HeÆd used it a number of times, whether with Mrs. OÆLeary or the children of Hades, so heÆd gotten used to it, but it was still a bit unnerving. For starters, he could never really figure out exactly what happens while heÆs inside the shadows. He was sure that it didnÆt just take them somewhereùit always came with a feeling that they were moving extremely quickly and Mrs. OÆLeary was still running inside it, so heÆd always assumed that it created some sort of tunnel between two shadows. He couldnÆt actually confirm that though, nor did he know how that worked, since Mrs. OÆLeary had shown the ability to travel anywhere on Earth or in the Underworld with it. For all he knew, he could travel into outer space with it, though heÆd never tried and had no real desire to do so. He still didnÆt know how distance and location played into shadow travel, if they did at all.
A number of people he knewàhad known had always been curious, but heÆd never really been concerned with the details of how things worked, so long as they did. It was the same thing with magic, monsters, and Gods. Why did those things exist? How were they able to do the things they did?
He didnÆt know. If anyone figured it out, heÆd like to learn. But he knew that they did exist and he knew what they could do and that was enough for him. If he needed to know something he didnÆt, heÆd go find it, but if knowingÆs not important, he didnÆt really care.
It took only an instant to get to his destinationùwhich may or may not have been the amount of time theyÆd spent in the tunnel, he wasnÆt sureùand Mrs. OÆLeary had stopped in the middle of a field about the water tank. Berserker didnÆt even bother getting off of Mrs. OÆLeary; he just closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Earthquakes where part of his FatherÆs domain, but, well, he had less experience with them. It wasnÆt that he disliked or even tried to avoid using them, it was just that, honestly, how often do you need to create an earthquake? Added to the amount of energy it took and heÆd usually just found stabbing people in the face or crushing them with water to be more productive.
But when it came to destroying large structures, be they fortresses, tunnels, or underground water tanks, it was hard to be an earthquake.
The ground began to shake almost immediately. He could tell that somehow, but he couldnÆt feel it. Just like with water, he could feel its presence, but unless he actively tried, he couldnÆt be effected by it, and he could expand that protection to his allies if he triedùa fact that had proven quite useful in several battles. He kept it localized, to avoid causing trouble for the town, but he made it powerfulùpowerful enough to shatter concrete and break steel, deep beneath the surface. Feeling things besides water underground wasnÆt something he could normally doùthat was something Hades kids didùbut if it was destruction caused by an earthquake, it was an area of overlapùjust like with Pegasi and the Sky.
He released the breath he was holding and smiled.
With his base like thisàCaster had no place to hide. HeÆd take care of the girl first, and thenàhe would draw this game of cat and mouse to a close.
ôIÆm done. LetÆs go.ö
XxXXxX
The March to Battle
The tunnel was still full of the toxic gas that the creatureÆs remains had produced. A human would die just passing through that tunnel, though a Servant would be unaffected.
If he walked through there, it would quickly become obvious whether or not she was and Assassin, as he suspected.
But if she wasnÆtànaturally, she would die. Berserker would never take that risk simply to avoid some danger.
Instead, he held the girl close to his chest to cover her eyes and summoned Mrs. OÆLeary. He understood that the girl would probably be frightened if she same such an enormous, ferocious looking dog, even if he knew Mrs. OÆLeary could be gentle enough to play with children, so he made sure she never saw her. It was a bit more difficult mounting her without using hands, but heÆd had to do it enough times before that he managed quickly enough.
Mrs. OÆLeary didnÆt react to the girl at all, which meant nothing. He still couldnÆt sense her at all and he was holding her in his arms.
ôWeÆre going back to the base,ö He told his hound. ôBut make a quick stop on the surface.
The girl stirred in his arms, reacting to his voice. He moved a gentle hand to her head, stilling her before she could see something frightening.
ôWeÆre going to the place IÆm staying,ö He told her. ôI just need to do something first. Hold on tightùthis can be a bit frightening until you get used to it.ö
Taking that as her cue, Mrs. OÆLeary shadow traveled to the surface. As heÆd expected, as soon as they began, the girl was suddenly clinging to him in fear.
Shadow Traveling was always a strange experience. HeÆd used it a number of times, whether with Mrs. OÆLeary or the children of Hades, so heÆd gotten used to it, but it was still a bit unnerving. For starters, he could never really figure out exactly what happens while heÆs inside the shadows. He was sure that it didnÆt just take them somewhereùit always came with a feeling that they were moving extremely quickly and Mrs. OÆLeary was still running inside it, so heÆd always assumed that it created some sort of tunnel between two shadows. He couldnÆt actually confirm that though, nor did he know how that worked, since Mrs. OÆLeary had shown the ability to travel anywhere on Earth or in the Underworld with it. For all he knew, he could travel into outer space with it, though heÆd never tried and had no real desire to do so. He still didnÆt know how distance and location played into shadow travel, if they did at all.
A number of people he knewàhad known had always been curious, but heÆd never really been concerned with the details of how things worked, so long as they did. It was the same thing with magic, monsters, and Gods. Why did those things exist? How were they able to do the things they did?
He didnÆt know. If anyone figured it out, heÆd like to learn. But he knew that they did exist and he knew what they could do and that was enough for him. If he needed to know something he didnÆt, heÆd go find it, but if knowingÆs not important, he didnÆt really care.
It took only an instant to get to his destinationùwhich may or may not have been the amount of time theyÆd spent in the tunnel, he wasnÆt sureùand Mrs. OÆLeary had stopped in the middle of a field about the water tank. Berserker didnÆt even bother getting off of Mrs. OÆLeary; he just closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Earthquakes where part of his FatherÆs domain, but, well, he had less experience with them. It wasnÆt that he disliked or even tried to avoid using them, it was just that, honestly, how often do you need to create an earthquake? Added to the amount of energy it took and heÆd usually just found stabbing people in the face or crushing them with water to be more productive.
But when it came to destroying large structures, be they fortresses, tunnels, or underground water tanks, it was hard to be an earthquake.
The ground began to shake almost immediately. He could tell that somehow, but he couldnÆt feel it. Just like with water, he could feel its presence, but unless he actively tried, he couldnÆt be effected by it, and he could expand that protection to his allies if he triedùa fact that had proven quite useful in several battles. He kept it localized, to avoid causing trouble for the town, but he made it powerfulùpowerful enough to shatter concrete and break steel, deep beneath the surface. Feeling things besides water underground wasnÆt something he could normally doùthat was something Hades kids didùbut if it was destruction caused by an earthquake, it was an area of overlapùjust like with Pegasi and the Sky.
He released the breath he was holding and smiled.
With his base like thisàCaster had no place to hide. HeÆd take care of the girl first, and thenàhe would draw this game of cat and mouse to a close.
ôIÆm done. LetÆs go.ö
XxXXxX
XxXXxX
It went without saying that he wasnÆt going to take her to Kariya. Even if he wanted to help the girl, he wanted to protect Sakura and Kariya, too. Taking a personal that was aware could be an Assassinàthere had been many times when heÆd been called Seaweed Brain, but he wasnÆt stupid.
Besides, why would he take her to Kariya? He was a good man, but he was also sickly and on the verge of dying. Even after Kariya had reassured him that the effects of the previous battle hadnÆt been important and encouraged him to keep fighting, the fact remained that as long as Berserker continued to fight, Kariya would suffer for it.
He didnÆt want to hurt Kariya, butàhe was also aware that this war was only going to get more serious. If the other Servants were anything like him, they were all holding their cards close to their chestùat the very least, if King Arthur didnÆt have a Noble Phantasm in some way related to Excalibur, then he would have called bullshit, even if he hadnÆt seen her prepare to use it. In addition, Assassin was not only alive, but apparently able to split himself into multiple bodies.
As long as this war continued, it was simply a fact that he wouldnÆt be able to make promises like æI wonÆt use too much energy.Æ If he wanted to win in a battle of legendary heroes, he had to accept the fact that he wasnÆt going to be able to simply hold back and hope for the best.
Some might have considered the option of hiding until the war was winding down. On the surface, it seemed like a good ideaùlie in wait until everyone was exhausted and then huge, dog-shaped mass of Hate and Fuck You. Even if it may have seemed cowardly, but he wasnÆt the type to discard tactics that seemed effective.
But it wasnÆt going to work in this War, for one simple reasonùin general, the Masters were calling the shots. And he wasnÆt going to say they were all bad people or anything, but he was going to operate under the information he had.
And so far, the Masters were fairly cowardly. SaberÆs, LancerÆs, and ArcherÆs had flat-out refused to appear, AssassinÆs had apparently faked his own Servants death to operate unseen, and though RiderÆs had always been with Rider on the battlefield, it was obvious he didnÆt want to be there. Even his own Master, Kariya, was far away from the battle.
And that was fine, because it was obviously the smart thing to do for a Master. As RiderÆs Master had very nearly proven, a battlefield of Servants could quickly prove fatal for even a trained magi. Berserker had been to honorable to do it, but the fact remained that if heÆd wanted to, there had been many chances for him to attack RiderÆs Masterùat which point the boy would have magically transformed into something resembling a fine red mist and Rider would have died.
Holing up behind all the protection was the best course of action.
But it had several problems as well.
First of all, it was the natural course of action for all of the Mastersùand if everyone was hiding, this war wasnÆt going to go anywhere. Kariya was on a time tableùhe couldnÆt afford to waste a week. Further, someone would eventually go on the hunt, and their targets would be clearùthe ones who were holed up would immediately be seen as weak. After heÆd lost his memory, heÆd been raised by a literal wolf pack and heÆd learnt many things, including this: æThere are predators and prey. If you canÆt figure out who your prey is, you are prey.Æ
At the time, it had been used to teach him to hunt monsters, but it applied just as well here.
Second of all, there was a problem inherent in the MasterÆs running things. Even if he respected Kariya greatly, there was no way in hell he knew how to fight better than he did. And the same was true of the other Masters and Servants. Alexander had basically marched across Asia without losing a single battle and Arthur had assembled and led a group of Knights that would achieve mythical status. He didnÆt know who Archer was yet, but heÆd been on the receiving end of his barrage of Noble Phantasms and he could say thisùit had been scarily powerful.
His Master had suddenly called him off, but Berserker wasnÆt sure if that was the right moveùif he had continued to fire those weapons and increase their number, it was likely some of the nearby Servants would have died. At the very least, it had been his intention to move closer to Lancer to have Archer blow him to pieces in that assault. At the very least, Lancer would have died, and potentially even Saber after sheÆd come back, unless she had a way around it. Even if it revealed his Noble Phantasm, ripping apart that many opponents would have worth it.
By calling him back, Tohsaka Tokiomi had basically declared he knew how to fight better then Archer.
And he had a hard time believing that placing an innocent woman in the line of fire had been King ArthurÆs idea.
By having to fight according to the plans of someone else, it was natural that they wouldnÆt do as well as they could.
If he wanted to win this, he had to fight the way he knew how and go on the offensive. First with Caster, then with everyone else.
Which meant he also couldnÆt he chained down protecting a young girl all the time. He wanted to protect her, but he also had to save Sakura and Kariya, not to mention kill Casterùand besides, she wouldnÆt be very safe anywhere near him if a fight broke out.
So he took her to KariyaÆs house.
If she could hide from Caster in his own base and go undetected by both he and Rider, she wasnÆt going to be found. Period. He would leave Mrs. OÆLeary behind to watch over her, since she could either come get him or shadow travel the girl to safety if something happened. He could look after her when he wasnÆt on the hunt.
So he quickly made the girl some food, knowing she probably hadnÆt had anything to eat in a long time, and then tucked her into KariyaÆs bed. SheÆd had trouble sleeping, understandably, so heÆd allowed himself to waste some more time staying by her side until she fell asleep and quietly sang the lullabies heÆd sung a thousand times before.
But the moment she fell asleep, Servant Berserker took to the streets.
XxXXxX
It went without saying that he wasnÆt going to take her to Kariya. Even if he wanted to help the girl, he wanted to protect Sakura and Kariya, too. Taking a personal that was aware could be an Assassinàthere had been many times when heÆd been called Seaweed Brain, but he wasnÆt stupid.
Besides, why would he take her to Kariya? He was a good man, but he was also sickly and on the verge of dying. Even after Kariya had reassured him that the effects of the previous battle hadnÆt been important and encouraged him to keep fighting, the fact remained that as long as Berserker continued to fight, Kariya would suffer for it.
He didnÆt want to hurt Kariya, butàhe was also aware that this war was only going to get more serious. If the other Servants were anything like him, they were all holding their cards close to their chestùat the very least, if King Arthur didnÆt have a Noble Phantasm in some way related to Excalibur, then he would have called bullshit, even if he hadnÆt seen her prepare to use it. In addition, Assassin was not only alive, but apparently able to split himself into multiple bodies.
As long as this war continued, it was simply a fact that he wouldnÆt be able to make promises like æI wonÆt use too much energy.Æ If he wanted to win in a battle of legendary heroes, he had to accept the fact that he wasnÆt going to be able to simply hold back and hope for the best.
Some might have considered the option of hiding until the war was winding down. On the surface, it seemed like a good ideaùlie in wait until everyone was exhausted and then huge, dog-shaped mass of Hate and Fuck You. Even if it may have seemed cowardly, but he wasnÆt the type to discard tactics that seemed effective.
But it wasnÆt going to work in this War, for one simple reasonùin general, the Masters were calling the shots. And he wasnÆt going to say they were all bad people or anything, but he was going to operate under the information he had.
And so far, the Masters were fairly cowardly. SaberÆs, LancerÆs, and ArcherÆs had flat-out refused to appear, AssassinÆs had apparently faked his own Servants death to operate unseen, and though RiderÆs had always been with Rider on the battlefield, it was obvious he didnÆt want to be there. Even his own Master, Kariya, was far away from the battle.
And that was fine, because it was obviously the smart thing to do for a Master. As RiderÆs Master had very nearly proven, a battlefield of Servants could quickly prove fatal for even a trained magi. Berserker had been to honorable to do it, but the fact remained that if heÆd wanted to, there had been many chances for him to attack RiderÆs Masterùat which point the boy would have magically transformed into something resembling a fine red mist and Rider would have died.
Holing up behind all the protection was the best course of action.
But it had several problems as well.
First of all, it was the natural course of action for all of the Mastersùand if everyone was hiding, this war wasnÆt going to go anywhere. Kariya was on a time tableùhe couldnÆt afford to waste a week. Further, someone would eventually go on the hunt, and their targets would be clearùthe ones who were holed up would immediately be seen as weak. After heÆd lost his memory, heÆd been raised by a literal wolf pack and heÆd learnt many things, including this: æThere are predators and prey. If you canÆt figure out who your prey is, you are prey.Æ
At the time, it had been used to teach him to hunt monsters, but it applied just as well here.
Second of all, there was a problem inherent in the MasterÆs running things. Even if he respected Kariya greatly, there was no way in hell he knew how to fight better than he did. And the same was true of the other Masters and Servants. Alexander had basically marched across Asia without losing a single battle and Arthur had assembled and led a group of Knights that would achieve mythical status. He didnÆt know who Archer was yet, but heÆd been on the receiving end of his barrage of Noble Phantasms and he could say thisùit had been scarily powerful.
His Master had suddenly called him off, but Berserker wasnÆt sure if that was the right moveùif he had continued to fire those weapons and increase their number, it was likely some of the nearby Servants would have died. At the very least, it had been his intention to move closer to Lancer to have Archer blow him to pieces in that assault. At the very least, Lancer would have died, and potentially even Saber after sheÆd come back, unless she had a way around it. Even if it revealed his Noble Phantasm, ripping apart that many opponents would have worth it.
By calling him back, Tohsaka Tokiomi had basically declared he knew how to fight better then Archer.
And he had a hard time believing that placing an innocent woman in the line of fire had been King ArthurÆs idea.
By having to fight according to the plans of someone else, it was natural that they wouldnÆt do as well as they could.
If he wanted to win this, he had to fight the way he knew how and go on the offensive. First with Caster, then with everyone else.
Which meant he also couldnÆt he chained down protecting a young girl all the time. He wanted to protect her, but he also had to save Sakura and Kariya, not to mention kill Casterùand besides, she wouldnÆt be very safe anywhere near him if a fight broke out.
So he took her to KariyaÆs house.
If she could hide from Caster in his own base and go undetected by both he and Rider, she wasnÆt going to be found. Period. He would leave Mrs. OÆLeary behind to watch over her, since she could either come get him or shadow travel the girl to safety if something happened. He could look after her when he wasnÆt on the hunt.
So he quickly made the girl some food, knowing she probably hadnÆt had anything to eat in a long time, and then tucked her into KariyaÆs bed. SheÆd had trouble sleeping, understandably, so heÆd allowed himself to waste some more time staying by her side until she fell asleep and quietly sang the lullabies heÆd sung a thousand times before.
But the moment she fell asleep, Servant Berserker took to the streets.
XxXXxX
XxXXxX
IrisvielÆs chest throbbed intensely, causing her entire body to abruptly tense. The vibrations in her Magic Circuits continued to repeat and were impossibly to ignore.
ùThat was the alarm. Specifically, the alarm of the Bounded Field that had been set up around the forest.
Which could only mean that someone had entered uninvited.
In the past, lost travelers had somehow found their way to the castle, which had caused a few urban legends and given the tabloids something to write about.
But such people were few and far between.
In this case, it was safe to assume that only one type of person would enter this areaùthe enemy.
Butà
ôùHere already?ö Kiristsugu asked, noticing the change in his wife immediately. In an instant, his entire demeanor had changedùthe figure of the man she considered her husband had been instantly displaced by the cold and resolute countenance of the æMagus Killer.Æ
ôIrisviel, prepare your crystal ball. IÆll contact Maiya; she hasnÆt been gone long, so she should be able to return quickly.ö
Less than a minute later, Kiritsugu, Irisviel, and Saber had made their basic preparations and gathered together. Irisviel had already summoned the image of the invader onto the crystal ball, and there was only one person it could be.
ôCasteràö Saber said quietly.
She had beenàirritated to learn that three Servants had attended the gathering at the Church while she remained absent. More than that, two of those Servants had been Rider and Archer, her fellow Kingsùbut even Berserker, the Heroic Spirit of Fury, had appeared in person. Upon hearing of CasterÆs crimes, the three had quickly made temporary peace with each other and decided simply to hunt Caster.
It was embarrassing, to her, not simply because she hadnÆt been there, but also because of her Master.
Kiritsugu did not intend to hunt Caster.
In his mind, CasterÆs perverse actions were nothing but an æopportunity.Æ At this point in time, it was probable that the only other people that knew of CasterÆs true identity were Lancer and his master. In that case, it went without saying that they had a natural advantage over the other teams, who would be entering into this situation all but blind.
Even if innocent people got involved, Kiritsugu had decided on this plant, heedless of the ChurchÆs offer of rewards or potential punishment.
To be honest, Saber couldnÆt get along with that man at all, nor could she accept his plans. He felt that with at least three people confirmed to be perusing Caster, they didnÆt need to lift a finger in ending the threat he possessed and should instead attack those that were hunting Caster instead.
Saber could not say that she felt any particular fondness for Archer, Berserker, and Rider. But upon hearing of CasterÆs actions, they had put all else aside to hunt him down, even though the reward gave no advantage to a Servant, where as she was forced to stay within the castle walls until an opportunity arose to attack themàWorst of all, Caster was literally right thereà
As the King of Knights, this entire situation disgusted her. She could acknowledge KiritsuguÆs plans as effective, but she could not agree with them.
Kiritsugu was aware of those feelings, but didnÆt care about them at all. In the end, a tool is a tool no matter what. Naturally, the same was true of Servants as well. No matter how famous the hero, there was a reason they were called æServants.Æ
As such, he completely ignored Saber, as he had sense she was first summoned, and focused completely on the objects in IrisvielÆs hands.
This time, Caster wasnÆt acting alone. He had led a group of ten or so children into the forest, each wobbling as if sleep walking. The oldest could at best be in primary school, while many were significantly younger, but all of them were obviously held within CasterÆs Thrall.
ôWhere is he?ö Kiritsugu asked.
ôHeÆs stopped about two kilometers northwest of hereàit doesnÆt seem like heÆs going to approach any further.
If Caster progressed any further, he would be in a disadvantageous position, where Irisviel could support Saber in battle, but heÆd apparently noticed that as well and was simply circling around the edge.
It was obvious that he was trying to bait them to come out.
If the distance was only two kilometers, then Saber could reach CasterÆs position easily. More than anything, she truly wanted to go out there and smash him. But this wasnÆt a situation where she could act as she pleased.
That group of children.
ôHostagesàright?ö Irisviel murmured.
Saber nodded, to which IrisvielÆs expression became pained.
ôIf they enter the bounded field, theyÆll trigger the trapsàö She said worriedly. As things set to protect against the invasion of magi and Servants, it went without saying that a group of children would be torn apart in an instant.
In that case, the only way to save the children would be to go out there and defeat Caster.
As Irisviel was a mother and Saber was a Knightàit could not be denied that the bait was well picked.
Suddenly, Caster looked up, as if sensing IrisvielÆs clairvoyance.
ôI came here to visit you, Master of Jeanne.ö He said, bowing lowly. ôNow please, give the order and allow me to see my holy maiden again.ö
Saber shifted her eyes to Irisviel, ignoring Kiritsugu as he had her. In her mind, the only one in this castle that she could accept as a Master was Irisviel, and with her eyes, she urged her to make a quick decision. She was already more than prepared to fight Caster, if given the order.
But still, Irisviel hesitated at the obvious trap.
ôùAh, it seems it will take you awhile to make up your mind. I expected to have to wait, though, so just take your time. Butàcan I borrow a corner of your territory?ö
Caster snapped his fingers and suddenly, it was as if the children heÆd gathered had awoken from a dream and began to look around in confusion.
ôListen children, weÆre going to play hide-and-seek. The rules are simpleùyou just have to stay away from me. If I catch youùô
Suddenly, Caster extended a hand like a striking snake, catching one of the children beside him.
ôStop!ö Saber couldnÆt help but shout, though she knew it would do no good through the crystal ball.
A skull shattered. Brain matter flew as eyeballs fell from their socketsùand as one, the children screamed and scattered.
ôHurry up and run,ö Caster urged. ôIÆll start chasing you after I count to a hundred. SoàJeanneàhow long are you going to spend preparing?ö
At that sight, Irisviel couldnÆt hesitate anymore. That child who had been killed and then discardedàshe couldnÆt help but think of Ilya.
ôàSaber, destroy Caster for me.ö
ôYes.ö Saber replied shortly, and then was gone.
XxXXxX
IrisvielÆs chest throbbed intensely, causing her entire body to abruptly tense. The vibrations in her Magic Circuits continued to repeat and were impossibly to ignore.
ùThat was the alarm. Specifically, the alarm of the Bounded Field that had been set up around the forest.
Which could only mean that someone had entered uninvited.
In the past, lost travelers had somehow found their way to the castle, which had caused a few urban legends and given the tabloids something to write about.
But such people were few and far between.
In this case, it was safe to assume that only one type of person would enter this areaùthe enemy.
Butà
ôùHere already?ö Kiristsugu asked, noticing the change in his wife immediately. In an instant, his entire demeanor had changedùthe figure of the man she considered her husband had been instantly displaced by the cold and resolute countenance of the æMagus Killer.Æ
ôIrisviel, prepare your crystal ball. IÆll contact Maiya; she hasnÆt been gone long, so she should be able to return quickly.ö
Less than a minute later, Kiritsugu, Irisviel, and Saber had made their basic preparations and gathered together. Irisviel had already summoned the image of the invader onto the crystal ball, and there was only one person it could be.
ôCasteràö Saber said quietly.
She had beenàirritated to learn that three Servants had attended the gathering at the Church while she remained absent. More than that, two of those Servants had been Rider and Archer, her fellow Kingsùbut even Berserker, the Heroic Spirit of Fury, had appeared in person. Upon hearing of CasterÆs crimes, the three had quickly made temporary peace with each other and decided simply to hunt Caster.
It was embarrassing, to her, not simply because she hadnÆt been there, but also because of her Master.
Kiritsugu did not intend to hunt Caster.
In his mind, CasterÆs perverse actions were nothing but an æopportunity.Æ At this point in time, it was probable that the only other people that knew of CasterÆs true identity were Lancer and his master. In that case, it went without saying that they had a natural advantage over the other teams, who would be entering into this situation all but blind.
Even if innocent people got involved, Kiritsugu had decided on this plant, heedless of the ChurchÆs offer of rewards or potential punishment.
To be honest, Saber couldnÆt get along with that man at all, nor could she accept his plans. He felt that with at least three people confirmed to be perusing Caster, they didnÆt need to lift a finger in ending the threat he possessed and should instead attack those that were hunting Caster instead.
Saber could not say that she felt any particular fondness for Archer, Berserker, and Rider. But upon hearing of CasterÆs actions, they had put all else aside to hunt him down, even though the reward gave no advantage to a Servant, where as she was forced to stay within the castle walls until an opportunity arose to attack themàWorst of all, Caster was literally right thereà
As the King of Knights, this entire situation disgusted her. She could acknowledge KiritsuguÆs plans as effective, but she could not agree with them.
Kiritsugu was aware of those feelings, but didnÆt care about them at all. In the end, a tool is a tool no matter what. Naturally, the same was true of Servants as well. No matter how famous the hero, there was a reason they were called æServants.Æ
As such, he completely ignored Saber, as he had sense she was first summoned, and focused completely on the objects in IrisvielÆs hands.
This time, Caster wasnÆt acting alone. He had led a group of ten or so children into the forest, each wobbling as if sleep walking. The oldest could at best be in primary school, while many were significantly younger, but all of them were obviously held within CasterÆs Thrall.
ôWhere is he?ö Kiritsugu asked.
ôHeÆs stopped about two kilometers northwest of hereàit doesnÆt seem like heÆs going to approach any further.
If Caster progressed any further, he would be in a disadvantageous position, where Irisviel could support Saber in battle, but heÆd apparently noticed that as well and was simply circling around the edge.
It was obvious that he was trying to bait them to come out.
If the distance was only two kilometers, then Saber could reach CasterÆs position easily. More than anything, she truly wanted to go out there and smash him. But this wasnÆt a situation where she could act as she pleased.
That group of children.
ôHostagesàright?ö Irisviel murmured.
Saber nodded, to which IrisvielÆs expression became pained.
ôIf they enter the bounded field, theyÆll trigger the trapsàö She said worriedly. As things set to protect against the invasion of magi and Servants, it went without saying that a group of children would be torn apart in an instant.
In that case, the only way to save the children would be to go out there and defeat Caster.
As Irisviel was a mother and Saber was a Knightàit could not be denied that the bait was well picked.
Suddenly, Caster looked up, as if sensing IrisvielÆs clairvoyance.
ôI came here to visit you, Master of Jeanne.ö He said, bowing lowly. ôNow please, give the order and allow me to see my holy maiden again.ö
Saber shifted her eyes to Irisviel, ignoring Kiritsugu as he had her. In her mind, the only one in this castle that she could accept as a Master was Irisviel, and with her eyes, she urged her to make a quick decision. She was already more than prepared to fight Caster, if given the order.
But still, Irisviel hesitated at the obvious trap.
ôùAh, it seems it will take you awhile to make up your mind. I expected to have to wait, though, so just take your time. Butàcan I borrow a corner of your territory?ö
Caster snapped his fingers and suddenly, it was as if the children heÆd gathered had awoken from a dream and began to look around in confusion.
ôListen children, weÆre going to play hide-and-seek. The rules are simpleùyou just have to stay away from me. If I catch youùô
Suddenly, Caster extended a hand like a striking snake, catching one of the children beside him.
ôStop!ö Saber couldnÆt help but shout, though she knew it would do no good through the crystal ball.
A skull shattered. Brain matter flew as eyeballs fell from their socketsùand as one, the children screamed and scattered.
ôHurry up and run,ö Caster urged. ôIÆll start chasing you after I count to a hundred. SoàJeanneàhow long are you going to spend preparing?ö
At that sight, Irisviel couldnÆt hesitate anymore. That child who had been killed and then discardedàshe couldnÆt help but think of Ilya.
ôàSaber, destroy Caster for me.ö
ôYes.ö Saber replied shortly, and then was gone.
XxXXxX
Ahh, I misunderstood that part.
And I'll admit that I give major props for standing up for what is right even if it puts you at a disadvantage. I guess he figures that Caster is in the middle of such a big feeding frenzy there is no way he's going to make it, and he may as well pick off a few circling sharks while he's at it.
And I'll admit that I give major props for standing up for what is right even if it puts you at a disadvantage. I guess he figures that Caster is in the middle of such a big feeding frenzy there is no way he's going to make it, and he may as well pick off a few circling sharks while he's at it.
Or, to put it in a different way, the sooner the war ends the less people overall have to die. So in that sense Caster makes better bait than a target.
Also, he should know that Caster already has a target on his head and can't be as free as he used to be, so the threat is for the -most- part neutralized.
Also, he should know that Caster already has a target on his head and can't be as free as he used to be, so the threat is for the -most- part neutralized.
Whilst I agree entirely with you about "honour", and believe that Saber and Lancer are just outright dumb sometimes, saving a bunch of innocent children from dying is not "honourable", it's quite simply just right. I know that Kiritsugu believes that his goal is worth the lives of a few children, but his actions are still utterly unacceptable, in my view.
No, but Kiritsugu didn't know that. And, further, he refused to make any effort to kill Caster despite all the people he was killing.
Except that the only person to endanger innocents is Caster. So, ending the war sooner does not reduce deaths at all if it means letting Caster survive longer.
No, but Kiritsugu didn't know that. And, further, he refused to make any effort to kill Caster despite all the people he was killing.
Except that the only person to endanger innocents is Caster. So, ending the war sooner does not reduce deaths at all if it means letting Caster survive longer.