51 Meeting of the Rulers

Needless to say, The Black Faction could not let this go. Berserker and Ridder of Black were ordered to say back and recover, arriving as backup afterwards while Lancer, Archer and Caster of Black boarded the Hanging Gardens immediately with a small detachment of homunculi.

Lancer, Saber and Archer of Red immediately came to face them, restarting the raging battles. Lancer of Red vs Lancer of Black, Saber of Red vs Archer of Black, Archer of Red vs Caster of Black.

Other that the battle between Mordred and Chiron however, the rest were hugely tilted in favour of the Red Faction, something which became obvious real soon.

Karna knocked around a weakened Vlad with ease. Most of his power had come from being in his homeland and due to his Demonic Defender of the State skill which allowed him to set a territory for himself where his abilities and noble phantasm would be greatly strengthened.

Now though, he was in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Semiramis' territory and so, such boost were no longer applied.

Caster of Black on the other hand was a golem maker and far too weak to frontal combat to stand up to Atalanta and was cornered instantly, coming near death.

Chiron on the other hand, managed to fight a real battle with mordred but was crealy on the losing end to to her superior strength and Mana Burst.

It was at this moment however, the Darnic Prestone Yggdmillennia, leader of the Yggdmillennia clan and master of the Lancer of Black, Vlad III, appeared.

"No! Victory is still not yet out of our reach. Stand king of Romania! You do not want to unsightly fall here do you?" He said.

"Darnic? What are you doing here?" Vlad was confused.

"I must acquired the Greater Grail and bring victory to Yggdmillennia no matter the cost. To reach that goal, I must have you prevail." Darnic continued.

"Even if this place is disadvantageous to you, it's not like there is not chance of victory . . . So long as you use that noble phantasm, Lancer." He added.

"Darnic . . . What did you just say?" Vlad asked with bubbling rage.

"I told you to use your Noble Phantasm. There is no other path to victory." Darnic responded, louder than before.

"I told I would never use that tainted noble phantasm! Have you forgotten!?" Vlad refused.

"You're the one whos forgetting something familiar!" Darnic shouted and used a Command Spell to force Lancer to use his second noble phantasm, Legend of Dracula.

Thus, unwillingly, Vladd took the form of the vampire in the stories, based on his real self, a stories which he hated to highest degree.

As a final act of defiance, he speared Darnic through the chest but, using the last bits of his life, Darnic carved his existence on Lancer's soul with the power of the command spell so that he would be forced to seek the grail for him.

The fight between faction stopped momentarily as they all souch to stop the Nameless Vampire born out of Vlad and Darnic who, had already predated the homunculi the black faction brought and turned them into vampiric familiars.

They struggle for a bit before Ruler who had arrived later along with FrankenStein and Astolfo suddenly appeared to help

"Vampire." Jeanne said with severity.

She attempted but failed to stop it with a command spell so she was left without a choice.

"According to the laws of the Holy Grails War, I request the cooperation of every Servant here."

"Oh? Is that request as Ruler?" Atalanta asked.

"Yes. Until he is defeated a truce is to be made. We cannot allow this vampire to obtain the grail." Jeanne declared.

"Very well, that is an enemy to all us heros." Karna agreed.

"By my right as Ruler, I, Jeanne D'Arc order every Servant here by my Command Spells. Defeat the Vampire!" Jeaned used her command spells to boost every servant

Caster and Berserker of Black would stop the homunculi vampires while Atalanta and Chiron provided fire support for the main force, composed of Mordred, Karna, Jeanne and Astolfo to deal with the Vampire.

The Nameless Vampire attempted to fly towards the GRails while the Servants attempted to stop him and while it initially had the advantage due to his vampiric strength, speed and regeneration, it gradually started to get overwhelmed by the concentrated attack of so many powerful Servants.

Especially Karna's Sun Fire with eventually overwhelmed his regeneration and fully stopped him but, just as the finishing blow was about to be dealt, Karna and Atalanta fell onto their knees.

"Master?" Atalanta immediately figured out the reason.

The Nameless Vampire too this chance to run and make a break for the Greater Grail as the Black Faction Servants along with Ruler gave chase but Mordred who was fine stayed behind helping.

"Looks like you've got screwed." Mordred commented to Atalanta and Karna.

"Do you know what's going on!?" Atalanta asked and Karna also paid attention.

"Yeah, my master figured it out, even though I'm not sure how he did." Mordred honestly replied while scratching her head.

Karna and Atalanta remembered the mysterious boy with the entrancing looks.

"To put it simple, the priest had your former masters all under control as puppets since even before you were summoned so he was always your master, I guess he just made it official." Mordred explained, making the two Servants of Red fall into silence.

"This is from my master. He says you will be welcomed if you want to abandon your current master for him but it is up to you ." She added.

"Oh? And are you fine with that?" Atalanta who had slightly recovered asked.

"Why wouldn't I be? In fact, my personal suggestion is that you accept. I can't figure my master out but he never did wrong by me, actually, he did great by me and his magical energy is awesome to boot!" Mordred replied.

"Well that for later though, let's move if you're recovered." She added and the two Servants who had recovered were fine with that.

As for the chase, it was going bad, the automatic defences of the Hanging Gardens were hampering them while letting the Nameless Vampire proceed undeterred. Eventually, the vampire reached a cursch like space where Shirou awaited him.

"It ends here. Darnic Prestone Yggdmillennia." Shirou declared as he appeared, descending a flight of stairs.

"Who are you?" The Nameless Vampire questioned.

"Hmm!? What is this feeling? Is this fear tearing at my hear!?" It asked itself.

"What's wrong?" Shirou asked, still descending the stairs.

"It's not like this is our first meeting." He added.

"Answer me! Who are-" The vampire shouted but suddenly stopped as Shirou came into sight.

"That's impossible! It can't be! How are you alive!?" It shouted with fear.

"Oya. You are also alive so what is so strange about me also being so?" Shirou responded.

"You're from the Fuyuki Holy Grail War!" The vampire exclaimed.

"I've awaited this moment for sixty years Darnic." Shirou said

"I won't let you have that Greater Grail." He declared, pulling out his black keys throwing weapon. Unfortunately for the Nameless Vampire, such weapons were then bane of creatures of the darkness like him.

And so, with a powerful Baptism Rite, the like a mere human would not be able to ever cast, Shirou reduced the monster to ashes as Jun, hidden nearby, collected its scattered remnants to turn into an ability later.

Right at that moment, Ruler entered the fray and was utterly stupefied.

"It didn't even occur to me . . . To think there was a sixteenth servant . . ." Jeanne said.

"No, that'd be incorrect. More precisely, I am the first Servant and just like you, Ruler." Shirou corrected her.

"Why then? If your are Ruler, why are you breaking the rules of the Holy Grail War?" Jeanned questioned.

"The rules huh . . . Because I couldn't protect anyone within the rules' bounds." Shirou answered.

"That's why . . . Even if I have to break the rules, no one will get in the way of my dream." He declared.

"What are you after? Amakusa Shirou Tokisada!" Jeanne called Shirou by his True Name.

Shirou smiled with a huff and replied.

"Isn't it obvious? The salvation of all of mankind, Jeanne D'Arc."

"As ruler you should understand!" Jeanne argued.

"At most we can save the world an the people within it. A Heroic Spirit cannot spontaneously breach that barrier and bring salvation to all of mankind!" She said.

"Sixty years I have waited since my incarnation in that war! I don't have to option of turning back anymore. Shirou argued back.

"Incarnation?" Jeanne asked.

"So that's what you meant by being the first Ruler." She realized.

"This is a one in a million chance that I have grasped. I'll obliterate anything that gets in my way." Shirou declared.

"Amakusa Shirou . . . If you no longer pray for the people of the present, then you are no Heroic Spirit." Jeanne declared in turn.

"In that regard you are correct Jeanne D'Arc" Shirou admitted.

"At this point, I'm neither Saint nor Heroic Spirit. However . . . I will not stop until I accomplish the miracle of mankind's salvation!" He swore.

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P.a.t.r.e.o.n is officially up!

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You'll get to read up to FOUR week ahead, a full month, but I'll still post here.

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