Vol 2. Chapter 16. The Storm.

Not a second after his roar, the earth under Berserker's feet cracked, and he bolted towards Saber in blinding speed.

There was only a slight problem with his action, as the path between Berserker and Saber stood Archer, as an unintended obstacle for his path.

As Berserker got within ten feet of Archer, the man turned his head to look at the Servant of Madness, and squinted his eyes.

"Filth," he spat, and with his words four golden portals shimmered into existence beside him.

With blinding speed, four weapons were launched at Berserker.

In the blink of an eye, the sound of metal slamming into metal was heard, and Berserker's charge momentarily stopped, as the area he had been struck at was filled with dust.

There was pindrop silence for a moment, as Saber and Rider fixed their sight at the spot where Berserker had been with disbelief, while Archer's expression went from annoyed to outright furious.

"Did he get him?" Waver hesitantly asked from behind his Servant, who didn't move his gaze away from the dust cloud.

And how could he not? Especially after seeing such a sight.

Berserker had snatched two of the blades sent at him from mid air, before deflecting the other weapons with the ones he had just acquired.

Rider didn't get to answer, before another four golden portals popped into existence behind Archer, whose face was contorted into one of anger.

"You dare to sully my treasures?" Archer questioned coldly, though his words were lace with seething anger.

Slowly, the air around Berserker cleared up, revealing the shaking Servant now bearing two black swords, with red lines criss-crossing over its form.

His visor was fixed on Archer, seemingly setting aside his hate for Saber for the moment, choosing to focus on the bigger fish.

"RRRRAAAAAA!" And with another battlecry, he lunged for Archer.

Archer's eyes narrowed as Berserker charged, the mad warrior's formed a blur of black and red.

"You never learn, do you?" Archer scoffed.

With a casual wave of his hand, a dozen more golden portals shimmered into existence around him.

In an instant, a volley of swords, spears, and axes shot toward Berserker like a swarm of deadly meteors.

Sensing the imminent danger, Berserker leaped backward, twisting his body mid-air to evade the onslaught.

Blades whistled past him, some grazing his armor, while others were deflected by swift swings of the black swords he clutched tightly.

"Tsk, is dodging all you're good for?" Archer taunted, a smirk playing on his lips. 

Berserker landed with a thud, his gaze never leaving Archer.

Without a moment's hesitation, he gripped one of his swords by the blade's midpoint.

The crimson lines etched into the weapon pulsed ominously as he hurled it with incredible force, turning it into a lethal javelin aimed straight at Archer.

Archer watched the incoming weapon with bored eyes.

He made no move to dodge or block, allowing the sword to slam into his armor.

The blade bounced off harmlessly, its trajectory altered as it ricocheted past him.

The impromptu projectile embedded itself into the ornate throne behind Archer—the very seat he had occupied earlier.

For a split second, Archer's composed demeanor faltered. His eyes flickered with a dangerous glint as he glanced back at the damaged throne.

"You dare defile my seat?" he growled, his voice dripping with contempt.

As Gilgamesh stared at the Servant of Madness, he felt his full focus narrow in on him, as he finally ignored the unimportant skirmish between Caster and Saber.

As amusing as it was to watch the taunts the puppet threw at Saber, Gilgamesh found killing the Servant in front of him to take priority over the mild amusement he had been getting from listening in on the other battle.

Berserker took advantage of Archer's momentary distraction, dashing forward as another hail of weapons erupted from the golden portals.

He snatched a gleaming spear from the air, using it to deflect a flurry of daggers before tossing it aside like a broken toy.

Each deflected weapon added to the growing arsenal scattered across the courtyard.

"Insignificant worm!" Archer spat, summoning even more portals.

The air above them became a tapestry of shimmering gold, each portal having an unparalleled treasure poking out from it. "I'll ground you into the dirt, where you belong!"

Weapons rained down in a relentless storm.

Berserker weaved through them with uncanny agility, seamlessly taking small light steps, out of the path of the more devastating weapons.

He grabbed a sword hurtling toward his head, spinning it to bat away a trio of lances aimed at his chest.

Another spear grazed his shoulder, tearing through some of his armor, but he pressed on, undeterred by pain.

Archer's irritation was palpable.

His sneer turned into a snarl as he watched Berserker inch closer. "How dare a mere beast defy his King?" he seethed.

Just a few paces separated them now.

Berserker let out a guttural roar, lunging with a blade poised to strike.

Archer summoned a giant shield in the trajectory of the attack, and as they clashed, a resounding boom echoed through the courtyard.

Sparks flew as they locked eyes, one pair filled with unbridled disgust, the other was a visor glowing with madness.

"Enough of this farce," Archer declared, opening a portal right next to Berserker, firing off a hammer, pushing Berserker a few meters, while denting his armor.

Berserker staggered but quickly regained his footing.

Instead of retreating, he gripped another fallen weapon—a massive ax—and hurled it at Archer.

Caught off guard, Archer deflected it just in time with the shield, momentarily blocking his vision of Berserker.

Archer's patience wore thin. "I grow tired of this," he muttered. Raising his hand, the shield vanished into a portal.

Dozens more portals materialized behind him, nearly blocking out the sky of the courtyard. "Revel in the glory of my treasures, you cur! As it is more than you deserve!"

Before he could release the devastating attack, a sudden pulse emanated from his body—a crimson glow enveloping it.

Archer's eyes widened in disbelief. "A command seal? Now?"

His form began to shimmer, the ethereal glow signaling his imminent departure. "Tokiomi," he spat, glaring daggers in the direction of Tohsaka manor.

Berserker paused, tilting his head in confusion as his opponent started to fade.

Seizing the moment, he charged forward, intent on landing a final blow.

But it was too late; Archer was already slipping away.

"Consider yourself lucky, mongrel," Archer sneered as his visage flickered. "Next we meet, you won't be as lucky."

With that, he vanished completely, the golden portals dissolving into nothingness, followed by the discarded weapons turning into motes of golden light.

~~Fate/False Order~~

Rider and Saber watched on as Berserker launched himself towards Archer, not wishing to look away from what was to transpire.

"Oh? Am I so forgettable in the face of my companion, a shame," Caster gloated from up-high, causing Saber to glower up at her.

"Witch," she spat while looking up at her.

Saber was sure that she saw Caster's lip tug into a smile. 

Caster turned to look at Rider and his Master. "Rider, I grant you free-passage to leave, after all, I'm sure you have better things to do, than to bail out a foolish little girl, who wishes to kill her remaining family," she remarked sweetly.

Rider looked away from Berserker and Archer's fight, to glance up at the witch with intrigue, while Saber gritted her teeth at the comment.

"Oh? How kind of you to 'grant' me 'free-passage', I do hope this 'courtesy' extends to my charge, no?" He replied with a toothy smile, as his tone held a hint of amusement while patting the back of Waver.

Caster placed a hand on her chin, while tilting her head. "I'll allow it," she said gracefully, while giving a dismissive wave.

Rider gave an amused chuckle, before janking the reins, causing his bulls to waile, before the chariot launched off into the air, flying off into the distance.

As the roar of Rider's chariot faded into the night, the clash of Berserker and Archer was the only sound which echoed loudly in the courtyard, but Saber paid it no mind.

Her gaze was fixed firmly on Caster, who hovered above with a smug smile playing on her lips.

"Now that the distractions have departed," Caster mused, her voice dripping with malice, "we can have a little... heart-to-heart."

Saber tightened her grip on her invisible blade, her emerald eyes never leaving the witch. "I have nothing to say to you."

"Oh, but I have so much to say to you," Caster retorted, her tone mockingly sweet. With a lazy flick of her wrist, she sent a bolt of crackling green energy spiraling toward Saber.

Saber sidestepped effortlessly, the projectile scorching the ground where she had stood. "Your petty attacks won't reach me."

Caster chuckled. "Perhaps not. But it's amusing to watch you dance." She began to circle slowly in the air, her gaze fixed on the Servant of the Sword.

"Tell me, King of Knights, how does it feel to be the greatest hypocrite of all the Servants in this war?"

Saber's eyes narrowed. "Explain yourself."

"Must I spell it out?" Caster sighed dramatically. "You judge others so harshly, yet you're no better. In fact, you're worse."

Saber bristled. "I uphold my honor and duty. That is more than you can claim."

"Honor? Duty?" Caster scoffed, unleashing another volley of energy beams.

Saber deflected them with swift, precise movements. "Is that what you tell yourself when you betray your own family?"

"I have never—" Saber began, but Caster cut her off.

"Please," the witch sneered. "At least when I killed my own child, I didn't pretend it was for some noble cause. But you? You not only let your child die—you still seek to erase the rest of your living kin for your so-called 'ideal kingdom.'"

Saber's grip on her sword faltered for a fraction of a second. "You know nothing of my circumstances."

"Oh, but I do," Caster purred. "We're quite alike, you and I. Both willing to sacrifice anything—and anyone—for our desires."

"I am nothing like you!" Saber snapped, a flicker of anger breaking through her composure.

"Aren't you?" Caster's eyes glinted maliciously beneath her hood. "Your Master has already slain one of your precious family members, hasn't he? How convenient that you can wash your hands of the deed, pretending that you have no connection to him, while reaping all the benefits."

Saber's heart clenched. She and Irisviel had been spied on while visiting Rosalind…

The memory of the conversation she had had just that afternoon with her family made her feel sick, but she couldn't show weakness to this witch. "Kiritsugu acts on his own accord."

"And yet you continue to serve him," Caster taunted, firing another beam that Saber narrowly dodged. "Perhaps you even silently encourage it. After all, it spares you the dirty work."

"Enough!" Saber shouted. "I would never condone such actions."

"Really?" Caster's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Then why keep your true Master hidden from your family? Why not tell them about him and your wish for the Grail?"

Saber hesitated, the question striking a nerve. "They would not understand."

"Or perhaps you're afraid they would," Caster countered. "Afraid they'd see you for the manipulative liar you are."

"I have only ever sought to get to know them!" Saber insisted, but doubt tinged her words.

"By deceiving them? By planning to discard them once you claim the Grail?" Caster laughed coldly. "Such pragmatism. I'm truly impressed."

Saber's eyes flashed with anger. "My wish is for the salvation of my people."

"At the cost of your own blood," Caster retorted. "But why stop there? Maybe you should even thank your Master for thinning the herd."

"You twist the truth to mask your own sins," Saber accused.

"Perhaps," Caster conceded. "But at least I own them. You, on the other hand, hide behind a mask of righteousness."

Saber's patience wore thin. "If you have come to fight, then fight. Otherwise, hold your tongue."

Caster smirked. "Oh, but I think I've decided on a different course." She paused thoughtfully.

"I believe I'll spare your Master. And as for the other Pendragons, well, there's no need for me to trouble myself with them."

Suspicion flickered in Saber's eyes. "What are you implying?"

"Simply that you're doing a splendid job of destroying your own family," Caster said lightly. "Why should I dirty my hands when you'll do it for me?"

Saber's fists clenched, her grip nearly tearing the white gloves on her hands. "You will not harm them."

"I won't have to," Caster replied, her smile widening. "Your lies, your secrets—your wish—they'll be the death of them. And you know it."

"You're wrong," Saber whispered, more to herself than to Caster.

"Am I?" Caster's voice softened mockingly. "You push them away, hide the truth, all while marching toward a goal that will erase everything they are. If that's not betrayal, I don't know what is."

Saber's vision blurred with a mix of fury and despair. "My intentions are just."

"Keep telling yourself that," Caster said dismissively. "But deep down, you know the king is nothing more than a soulless puppet."

"Silence!" Saber roared.

Caster tilted her head, her eyes gleaming. "You truly live up to your people's opinion of yourself..." Her smile turned cruel, and for a moment, Saber could swear she saw piercing eyes beneath the shadowed hood. "After all... the king is not truly human."

A surge of rage flooded Saber's veins.

The air around her crackled as she channeled her mana, the ground trembling underfoot. "You will pay for your insolence!"

With a thunderous burst, Saber propelled herself upward, her blade aimed straight for Caster's heart.

But the witch was swift, weaving through the air as Saber's strike sliced through empty space.

"Temper, temper," Caster chided, her laughter echoing. She conjured a whirlwind of energy blades, sending them spiraling toward Saber.

Saber deflected them with deft swings, and she landed on the castle's wall, cratering it, before launching herself with another burst of mana. "Stand and face me!"

"But evasion is so much more fun," Caster teased, effortlessly gliding away as Saber pursued her across the night sky.

Saber's attacks grew more aggressive, each leap more ferocious, each swing more violent. "You cannot run forever!"

"Who said anything about running?" Caster replied, dodging another blow. "I'm simply enjoying the show."

Saber summoned a burst of mana, propelling herself faster. "This ends now!"

"Indeed it does," Caster agreed. With a sudden twist, she vanished into a swirl of green mist, reappearing several meters away. "Until next time, King of Knights."

"Wait!" Saber called out, desperation edging her voice.

Caster's form began to fade and flicker. "Do reflect on our little conversation, and I recommend dodging."

"Get back here!" Saber demanded in a last ditch lunge at Caster, but it was futile. Caster was gone, leaving only the faint echo of her mocking laughter.

Saber landed heavily on the ground, cracking the marble tiles littering the courtyard.

She felt her grip on her sword tighten.

She felt humiliated, Caster had toyed with her, not even attacking her properly, only taunting her, not even bothering to see her as a threat.

"AAAAAAARRTTTHHHUUUURRR!" Saber stiffened at the sudden roar, and turned to look in its direction, only to be met with Berserker lunging at her with two blackened swords.

Reflexively, she raised Excalibur above her head in a blocking stance, as she didn't have the time to dodge.

The mad knight slammed his blades on the invisible sword, causing Saber's legs to buckle, and the ground beneath her to cave in under the sheer weight.

In the next second, Berserker extended his leg, and kicked Saber in the sternum.

The sudden action caused Saber to exhale all the air in her lungs, before being flung across the castle walls, causing it to crumble onto her.

Knowing that she didn't have the luxury of taking her time, she gathered a ton of mana, before expelling it out from her, blowing away the debris that had fallen onto her.

Stepping out of the cratered wall, revealed her now looking battered and bruised, as her suit was close to shredded from the damage it had just taken.

Saber gripped her blade even harder, before dashing to the side, dodging another lunge from Berserker, and narrowly deflecting a swing from his sword.

Huffing out some air, Saber watched on as Berserker slowly walked out from the wreckage.

The Castle's walls were crumbling, and she knew that this could no longer be her home base, so she decided that she could now let loose, as there was no need to keep this place intact.

And it would serve as a wonderful way to de-stress.

~~Fate/False Order~~

{I've kidnapped Lancelot, you're in the clear.}

Having gotten the green light from Morgan, I walked down the shady apartment hall, before stopping in front of a room registered as unoccupied.

Standing in front of the door, I decided to quickly smarten myself up, smoothing some creases and adjusting my blazer, after all, first impressions are everything.

Finishing up, I gave the door a hard knock, before reaching for the door handle. All it took was a low end unlocking mystery, I heard the hatch unlock itself, before I turned the handle.

It was a bit rude, but I didn't want Berserker to kill Artoria, so I needed to do this quickly.

"Good evening," I welcomed as I opened the door.

The door had only barely creaked open, as a large wasp lunged for me through the crack.

Focusing on the insect, it suddenly popped like a balloon, its blood sprayed the door, giving it a new disgusting yellow-green paint job.

Hemomancy was not my forte, but after living under the same roof as Altrouge, you tend to pick up a thing or two. And more so for her preferred 'element', if it can be called as such.

I opened the door fully, and gave a wide welcoming smile, as I spotted a figure standing in the corner.

"You must be Kariya?" I asked kindly, but he didn't seem to take my question all too well.

Quickly, he raised his hand, showing me his two remaining Command Seals. "Berser—"

Instantly the room's temperature dropped, as three icicles hovered in front of Kariya, one aiming for his head, throat and heart.

"Please, calm yourself," I asked calmly. I knew it was a bit hypocritical, given I was threatening to kill him with the ice, but Berserker was a far larger threat, so I'll consider it as an 'ok' reaction to the situation.

Slowly, I raised a hand, and flicked on the lights, and I kinda regretted it after doing it.

Kariya looked horrible.

His hair was white from stress, his left eye was cloudy, and the rest of his left face was gaunt. Bumps under his skin could be seen squirming around on his face, making my stomach squirm. I had certainly seen worse things, but knowing what was just beneath his skin made me sick.

I was incredibly tempted to turn off the lights, if only for the peace of mind, from not looking at bugs crawling under his skin, but that was a bit too rude… even if it was understandable.

And knowing his thoughts on Magi, it was for the best that I tried to seem as 'human' or kind as possible was important. The icicles pointing at him notwithstanding.

"I think we started off on the wrong foot," I said kindly, while sheepishly rubbing the back of my neck.

Kariya didn't deign my words with a response, as he glared daggers at me.

"Hi, my name is Alistair," I gave a small wave accompanying my words. "I'm mainly here to discuss killing Zouken."

My words bore instant fruit, as his eyes widened with disbelief.

 "Impossible," he stated, more like some sort of fact, rather than the fact that I wished to kill him.

I gave him a cocked brow. "Please, he's only a five hundred ish year old apostle," I dismissed while waving my hand. "He's just a fancy cockroach from the clues that I have gathered."

Kariya still looked baffled, before frowning. "He's an Apostle? And what do you mean that he's five hundred?!"

With a snap of my fingers, the three icicles vanished, and I watched him slowly lower his arm, while eyeing me cautiously.

"Your 'father', or whatever he calls himself, was known as Zolgen Makiri, and two hundred years ago he took part in the construction of the Holy Grail," I explained while walking over to a chair, and pulling it out to sit on.

"He was already around three hundred years of age when creating it, but that's neither here, nor there," I continued, while waving my hand dismissively.

"Point is, sometime between then and now, he stopped producing Od, causing him to parasite it off his descendants, before planting a phylactery worm in the oldest family member, using them as a hostage and food source for the rest of their life."

I saw Kariya's eyes widen at the news, but I wasn't completely finished.

"And I recently caught wind of the youngest Tohsaka being sold off to the old monster, which prompted my investigation, and hence why I've come to speak with you," I explained.

The mention of Sakura caused Kariya to clench his fists, and I could see his body slightly tremble.

"If you wish to kill that monster, then why haven't you done it yet, and why are you here!" He spoke up with frustration.

This would make me look bad, but it's the truth, and I think I should be open about my reasoning.

"It's because I need something from you before I am willing to save her, and kill the bastard," I replied calmly.

Kaira clamped up instantly, and his face scrunched up with anger at my statement. "I should have known that all Magi could not be trusted," he spat.

"Listen," I said sharply, fixing Kariya with a serious gaze.

The dim light cast deep shadows across his gaunt features, making the crawling lumps beneath his skin even more unsettling. "Before you start throwing accusations, at least hear me out."

He glared at me, fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white. "You want payment for saving a child and killing a monster? You're no different from the rest of those Magi scum."

I sighed, resisting the urge to rub my temples. "You think I'm asking for 'payment,' but consider this: I'm offering to fulfill your deepest wish—the very reason you entered this war."

His eyes narrowed. "And how would you know anything about my wishes?"

A faint smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. "It's not exactly a mystery. You left the Moonlit World behind, only to jump back in right after Sakura was handed over to that abomination you call a father. Just in time to participate in the Holy Grail War. It wasn't hard to deduce."

He blinked, momentarily taken aback. "So you've been spying on me?"

"Not spying," I corrected. "Observing. Putting pieces together. It's what I do." 

He scowled. "Fine. Suppose you're right. What does that have to do with you demanding something from me?"

"Because the Grail is corrupted, Kariya," I said evenly. "And I intend to handle it discreetly."

His expression shifted from anger to confusion. "Corrupted? What are you talking about?"

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees. "Have you noticed anything... unusual about this war? Like the summoning of an Anti-Hero such as Caster, or rather Medea?"

He frowned. "Medea? I did not know who she was, but given how you are emphasizing the point that she is an anti-hero, I assume that they aren't meant to be summoned."

"Exactly," I nodded. "Under normal circumstances, the Grail system wouldn't allow it. Her presence suggests that something is seriously wrong."

He shook his head. "That doesn't make sense. How could the Grail be corrupted?"

"During the Third War, the Einzberns summoned Angra Mainyu as an Avenger-class Servant," I explained. "And with his death, they 'corrupted' the Grail. Now, it's tainted, and any wish made upon it would probably lead to catastrophic results."

He stared at me, processing the information. "And you intend to... fix it?"

"When the Grail fully manifests, it's the only opportunity to purify it," I replied. "But I can't do it alone. I need your cooperation, as I can't stand against multiple Servants who wish to claim it."

"Why haven't you told anyone else?" he demanded. "Or tried to stop the war? And what did you do to Berserker?"

I sighed. "The Church is anything but neutral, and with Caster causing chaos, bringing this up would be futile—or worse, they'd see me as an opportunist. As for Berserker, I... relocated him."

"Relocated?" His skepticism was palpable.

I offered a casual shrug. "An advanced application of displacement magecraft. Think of it as a budget version of the Second True Magic."

He didn't look convinced, but he didn't press the issue. "So you're forcing me into this deal," he said bitterly. "Even though you'd rather not."

"Believe me," I said softly, "I take no pleasure in coercion. But time is short, and the stakes are too high. This 'distasteful method' is the only option left."

He looked down, the muscles in his jaw tightening. "What exactly are you asking of me?"

Reaching into my jacket, I pulled out a rolled-up parchment. "A contract," I said, handing it to him. "It states that you'll follow my instructions until the end of the Grail War, only after I've saved Sakura and neutralized Zolgen Makiri."

He unrolled the document, his eyes scanning the text. The room was silent except for the faint rustling of paper. As he read, my phone vibrated in my pocket. Glancing at the screen, I saw Irisviel's name flashing.

"Excuse me," I said, turning aside as I answered the call. "Hello? Who's call–"

"Alistair, Berserker is at the Einzbern Castle," she said urgently, cutting me off. "Can you come over?"

I glanced at Kariya, who was still absorbed in the contract. "I can be there in twelve minutes at the fastest," I lied smoothly. "I'm leaving immediately."

"Thank you," she replied, relief evident in her voice before she hung up.

I slipped the phone back into my pocket, turning my attention back to Kariya. He looked up, suspicion flickering in his eyes. "Who was that?"

"An associate," I replied vaguely. "Nothing that concerns you."

He seemed to accept the answer, albeit grudgingly. "When do you plan to do it?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Within the next two days," I assured him. "I need to set up a few things, before I am sure that I can kill that monster."

He took a deep breath, then, without hesitation, signed the bottom of the contract. His signature was shaky but legible.

"Thank you," I said sincerely, taking the parchment back. I glanced over the signature, then rolled it up carefully. A small smile tugged at my lips. "You've made the right choice."

Standing up, I walked toward the door. "I'll be in touch soon," I said, resting my hand on the doorknob. "This will all be over before you know it."

He stared at me, a mix of hope and distrust in his gaze. "It better be."

I paused, meeting his eyes one last time. "Oh, before I go—I'd advise you to summon Berserker back with a Command Seal as soon as possible. He's probably engaging Archer right now, and losing your Servant wouldn't do either of us any good."

His eyes widened. "How do you—"

"Just a hunch," I interrupted with a sly grin. "Take care, Kariya."

I smoothly walked out of the room, and closed the door behind me, before bolting down the hallway.

Like hell I was going to wait for him to summon Lancelot, as I fear that he'd somehow sniff me out, or Kariya would direct his anger at me, neither of which I am interested in finding out about…

Sprinting through the hallway, I quickly made my way up the emergency staircase, and burst onto the rooftop, and more importantly, away from any video cameras.

Just as soon as I stepped on top of the rooftop, I felt myself sink into the floor, before two arms wrapped themselves around me, pulling me into the shadows.

I felt the disorienting feeling of my senses dulling, before I was spat out into my and Morgan's home.

I managed to catch myself, landing on my feet, and only flailing for a moment to catch my balance.

Quickly straightening out my blazer, I turned my head to the side, meeting Morgan's black veil instead of her eyes.

"Did you manage to distract Archer?" I probed, after all, if Gilgamesh actually stopped being such an ass, or got annoyed enough, I'm sure that he could kill Lancelot.

Morgan gave an amused scoff. "Of course, who do you think I am?" She remarked self-assuredly.

I gave her a raised brow at her confidence. "What did you do?" I probed.

Morgan smoothly locked arms with me, before moving over to a scrying orb, displaying a static image.

I saw Lancer being turned into a pincushion, causing me to raise both my brows. "You got Lancer killed?" I exclaimed with disbelief.

I knew that Kayneth was effectively crippled, but I was sure that his fiancé wouldn't send her love interest to die after getting control of him.

Morgan gave a snort of amusement at my comment. "That is just a homunculus, courtesy of yours truly," she explained in a haughty tone.

I turned to look at her with confusion. "You sent a fake Servant to his front door, and got him to summon Archer in a panic?" I asked, just to make sure that I was getting the full picture.

Morgan gave a contented hum at this. "You should have seen Archer, once he spotted the fake Lancer, I wouldn't be surprised if he killed his Master after being blue-balled from killing Berserker, only to kill a puppet."

I, too, gave a snort of amusement at the comment.

Smiling ruefully, I gently removed my arm from hers, causing her to turn to look at me.

"I got the phone call from Irisviel, I need to be on my way," I explained.

Morgan didn't seem to take my words too well, as she forcefully locked arms with me once more.

"Come now, I'll just transport you close to the castle if need be, and should that puppet have any sense, she'll call the meeting off, not wishing to give the impression of being the weaker party after having her castle obliterated," she huffed out.

I gave her a blank look at her statement.

The hell does she mean, 'having her castle obliterated'? The hell did I miss out on?

And like clock work, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket.

Slowly, I pulled it out, revealing Irisviel's name displayed on the caller ID.

It would seem that I'd be staying with Morgan… not a bad trade off to be fair…

—

102 Hours, 18 Minutes And 2 Seconds Until Zero 

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A/N

Welcome back, my reader Overlords, please add this to your library and give me some comments, stones and Reviews, as it would be much appreciated.

How was round 2?

Was it action packed enough, and was the ribbing to your tastes?

Any thoughts on what is next? Other than the daily Dream Cycle?

Btw, I have made a Discord server for the fic, come on and chat with me!

https://discord.gg/8UkprnrG

Now I'm tired and have a fuck tone of Uni stuff to do, so have a nice day, and send me some stones or some shit, I need motivation, or some shit like that.