Fate/stay night & Dota 2

Title: Fate of the Ancients  by  achus93

Synopsis:

The 5th Holy Grail War was held at the horizon, ready to rise again as another story is told. But this story is different. An unknown entity had interfered, and the result of that were the Heroes of another world that were pulled in to fight well awaited conflict. And with this ripple, the story of the 5th Holy Grail War will split off into a new direction.

Rated: T

Genre: Adventure & Fantasy

Words: 107k+

Status: Incomplete

(I want you guys to comment to the author to continue this, I want that ending so bad ok? )

Spoilers:

Chapter 1: Prologue

"Silver and iron to the origin. Gem and the archduke of contracts to the cornerstone. The ancestor is my great master Schweinorg."

"The alighted wind becomes a wall. The gates in the four directions close, coming from the crown, the three-forked road that leads to the kingdom circulate."

Cyan bathed the dark basement as each drip touched the circle, the shade subtly shifting towards a greener tint.

"Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill)."

"Repeat every five times."

"Simply, shatter once filled."

"――――I announce."

"Your self is under me, my fate(doom) is in your sword."

The circle burned with orange light as power coursed through the circle, the black skirt and loose paper flapping as the magical energy filled the basement.

"In accordance with the approach of the Holy Grail, if you abide by this feeling, this reason, then answer."

"Here is my oath. I am the one who becomes all the good of the world of the dead, I am the one who lays out all the evil of the world of the dead."

The circle emitted a blast of magical energy, sending any light objects flying as the room was filled with a deep shade of red.

"You, seven heavens clad in three words of power, arrive from the ring of deterrence, O keeper of the balance ―――!"

The final wave of energy crackled as the final incantations were chanted, causing the room to be filled with a light layer of smoke and dust. The summoner dropped to her knees on the now faded circle, lightly gasping for air from the exertion she went through. She brought the back of her hand to her view, an accomplished smile on her face as she inspected the command spells etched on it. "That was flawless! I'm certain I drew the most powerful card!" her hands balled into fists in affirmation as she looked around the basement.

She saw nothing.

"Huh?" she said aloud, her head going back and forth.

BANG!

"WHY?!" she cried out, running out of her basement in frustration. As she rushed up the stairs, it did not take long for her to reach to the door to her living. Bursting inside, she came upon a scene she was not particularly expecting.

Her living room, mostly in pristine order and condition, except for the dust and splinter that littered the room thanks to her shattered sofa that was split perfectly in half. And right in the middle of the mess, a woman with bright orange hair and dressed in an assortment of yellow and green, the tunic only being held at her midriff. The sturdy brown belt holds her green slacks, her lower knee covered by a light green guard. The woman's bare feet showed that she did not come with shoes. Covering the woman's shoulders was an enchanting, possibly magical cape that seemed to blend with the air as its lightly woven fabric emanated a power the summoner was not familiar with.

"Ow ow, ow. Ow ow." The woman croaked out, rubbing the small of her back as she got herself up off the mess she was in. The summoner carefully inspected the head that was on those shoulders. Messy ginger hair reaching just above her shoulders, a green fabric wrapped around her head and left eye as a makeshift eye patch.

The summoner, Tohsaka Rin, shook her head when she noticed that she had been staring for a bit too long, coughing to catch the woman's attention.

The ginger's widening eye fell on her, a brief look of surprise on her face before a small smile took its place as she kneeled before her. "Servant Archer, answering your summons." The servant looked up, the smile still on her face. "I ask of you, are you my master?"

Rin stood before her servant, stunned silent as Archer got up to her feet. "Eh, is that not how you do it? Did I do something wrong?" Archer asked, scratching her cheek with a nervous chuckle.

Broken out of her momentary stupor, Rin shook her head before addressing her servant. "Yes, I am your master." She said, flashing her command spells as confusion graced her face. "Wait. Archer?"

"Yes?" her servant replied.

"No, no. You said you're Archer?" Rin asked, a lump of nervousness rising up her throat.

"Yes I am. Servant Archer, at your service." Archer replied, bowing before her. "I could show you my bow if you want."

"No, it's not that." Rin turned her attention elsewhere from her servant, arms crossed and her thumb before her lips. "How? How did I not get Saber? I did everything right. I even stayed up till 2 in the morning where I am at my strongest."

"It's a little over 1 right now, Master." Rin spun on her heel to face her servant upon hearing those damning words.

"Wh-what? No, impossible. I've prepared everything for it. Look, it's 2 o'clock right now." She stammered, gesturing towards the grandfather clock at the corner of the living room.

Her servant shook her head. "Master, I don't need to be outside to tell you that it's not 2 o'clock. It's 1, trust me."

"It can't be, no. It's-" Rin's eyes widened when she remembered. It in fact was not 2 o'clock, because she all the clocks had been moved an hour later. Her shoulders sagged upon the realization of how much she messed up.

"Uh, I'm sorry I'm not a Saber." Her servant said upon noticing the drop in her master's mood. She held back her efforts when Rin raised her hand to her.

"It's fine Archer. It's my fault. Any sort of blame lays on me for this mistake." Rin stated, messaging her forehead before her hands moved to the side of her head. "Ah! Why do I always mess up when it matters?!"

"Don't worry Master, I assure you; even though I'm not a Saber, I am one hell of a servant!" Rin looked up at her servant, feeling herself being brought along by Archer's cheerfulness. "Now, why don't you sleep the night away. No doubt you're feeling exhausted, both physically and emotionally. Then the both of us can formally get to know each other." Archer said with her hand on Rin's shoulder, a bright beaming smile on her face.

The master gave an unsure glance at the mess in the middle of her living room. "Don't worry, I'll clean up the mess. You just get a good night's rest, m'kay?"

Rin sighed, her body language telling that she was relenting. "Alright Archer. I'll see you in the morning." She said, turning to leave.

"Goodnight! Don't let the bed bugs bite!" Archer said, her voice muffled when the door closed behind Rin.

It wasn't long before Rin was in her room, dressed in her sleepwear with the lights out walking towards her bed. She crawled under her blanket, resting her head on the pillow as she hugged the blanket around her tighter. Despite the disappointment she harbored, all of it towards herself, her servant's reassuring words had calmed her down. Her body relaxing as she wind down for the day, her eyes fluttering. "Father…" she said to her pillow before sleep took her.

"The battle I've been waiting for ten years is about to begin." Her voice nary a whisper. "My Holy Grail War…" she let out, her eyelids finally closing for the night.

09:05

That was the number on the clock she held in her hands, looking down on it with her groggy eyes and messy hair in the late morning. The bright morning sun shone through the curtains to her bedroom, accompanied by the chirping the of early morning birds that sung that day. "This is way beyond running late." She muttered, letting out a defeated sigh. "I'll just skip school today." She said, setting the clock aside, her eyes closing for a moment.

They opened again, glancing at her intact Command Spells. She raised her hand. "Right, it was Archer I summoned, not Saber. I hope everything's alright, after what happened last night. Ah, I feel a migraine brewing." She said, clutching the side of her head.

With her morning woes set aside, she made her way out of her bedroom and towards the living room. She paused her movement upon descending the staircase, holding herself steady on the railing. "I'm exhausted. Did the summoning drain all my energy?" she commented to herself, before continuing down.

She entered her living room still in a half asleep state, but the moment her eyes scanned the room, her mind instantly woke up. It was no longer a mess. The floor was immaculate, the coffee table set back in place along with the armchairs, and her sofa was fixed. "Wow, she kept her word."

"Good morning sleepyhead!"

Rin glanced at the archway towards her kitchen, seeing her servant carrying a tray with what could be described as morning essentials. "It's a good thing you're finally up, Master. A little later and I would've been worried." She said with a bright smile.

"I hope my work's up to snuff. It was a bit difficult looking for parts." Her servant said as she poured tea for Rin, who had seated herself on the fixed sofa.

"It's great. Almost as good as new. In fact, I'm sure most people would think that it is." Rin replied genuinely as she picked up the cup. She took a sip of the brew. "It's good."

"Glad you liked it." Archer said, sitting on the armchair beside her. "So, while you liven up a bit, shall we get started?"

Rin nodded as she took another sip of the herbal tea before placing the cup back on the coaster. "Right, I guess we should formally introduce ourselves, right. My name is Tohsaka Rin. Call me whatever you wish."

'Tohsaka Rin, huh? That's a nice name. Rin. "Rin." Yeah, let's go with that!" If Archer had gone on longer, Rin would've felt her cheeks redden.

"And what about you, Archer?" Rin asked, her hands back to the tea on the table.

The ginger gave her master a bright, sunny smile. "My name is Lyralei. But most people knew me as the Windranger."

Rin raised her brow at the introduction, before going through her mind, trying to see if she could recall who this "Lyralei" is. She had prepared herself for this day, so coming up with a blank slightly frustrated her. "Lyralei, huh? I'm sorry, Archer. It appears that I don't know who you are."

"That's the thing, Rin." Archer's tone became lower, her smile disappearing as she took on a more serious air. Rin noticed it immediately. "Another reason why I asked you to go to bed so soon was so I could read up the history. And, as much as it pains me to say this, I don't think I'm from this world."

Rin set the cup back down on the table. "What?" she asked, as it was the first question in her mind. "What do you mean? How so?"

Archer shrugged her shoulders unsurely. "Call it a gut feeling, really, because I felt something was off when I was summoned. And I don't mean about the things involving you, Rin." She said, gesturing towards the Master. "So, the moment you stepped inside your bedroom, I went to work. I went through your library, rifling through each book just trying to find anything that had anything to do with me. When that gave me nothing, I left your house and sneaked inside someone else's abode and used their computer, again sea-"

"You can use a computer?" Rin asked perplexed.

Archer was momentarily speechless by the out of the blue question she got from her Master. "A bit. The Grail was quite handy in giving us relevant information. Anyway, going back to our previous topic, I used their computer to search anything that's relevant to me, and my world. I even used your books too, just to compare how "relevant" something is. And I got nothing."

"From you?" Rin asked, a trickle of nervous sweat falling down her forehead.

"Yes." Archer leaned in closer towards her, her elbows on her knees while she rested her head on the back of her hands. "Not even things that are tangibly related. Just getting nothing. Even using your magecraft terms netted me some tangible results that had nothing to do with magecraft."

"Maybe you're an exception, then?" Rin said, offering her thought.

"Maybe. I'm just letting you know right now, so we won't have to go through any possible awkwardness that would come." Archer admitted.

"You sure are quite willing to share such heavy secrets here, Archer." Rin said as she processed all of the information that was presented to her.

"Of course." Archer declared resolutely. "If we are to cooperate, it'd be best if we both are on the same level, lest we end up carrying each other's slack. Remember Rin, Teamwork makes the Dream work." Archer said with a bright smile that surprised Rin.

She sighed, but a hint of a smile formed on the edge of her lips. "Well, it's great that I have such a trustworthy servant then." She said, standing up from the sofa. "Alright then, Archer. Get ready for an outing. I'll show you around the city."

"You're not gonna ask more about me?" Archer asked.

"It's unfortunate that I do not know who you are, that's for sure, but if I am to ask you on your capabilities, I think it'd be best if we were somewhere where

you can show me your capabilities, so I can properly evaluate you." Rin explained, a proud smirk formed on her face.

"Alrighty then!" her servant responded, standing up herself. Rin noted that her servant stood a full head taller than her. "I'll see you outside, Rin!"

It was long till the hours ticked by and the sun set over the horizon, covering Fuyuki in its orange haze as the lip of the moon slowly showed itself. They covered the suburban streets of Miyama Town and the sleek, yet almost artificial districts of Shinto. Nothing was left out, from the small coffee shops, to the harbor itself.

"This is the Fuyuki Central Park." Rin announced, the sound of dry grass audible with each of her step. "We've covered most of the important places. What do you think?" she asked her servant, who was in astral form.

"Well… it's big?" Archer answered, followed by a nervous chuckle. "Rin, I'm normally one for nature and all, but this place doesn't feel right. Is there a reason why it's so empty?"

"You noticed it too, huh?" Rin responded, her gaze scanning the empty park. "There's a bit of a history to it. They say this place was consumed by a huge fire ten years ago. Most of Shinto was rebuilt, yet for some reason this land was left on its own. They turned it into a park because there was nothing but burnt ruins all around."

Hearing the sigh coming from her astralized servant, Rin continued. "Figured it out? Yeah, this was where the final battle of the last Grail War was fought. It ended here, but it was left empty."

"Ugh, no wonder this place is pregnant with malice. It's disgusting." Archer said with irritation.

"Hm, you can sense that kind of thing?" Rin asked, walking down a dirt path.

"We servant are spiritual beings after all. I don't need to be some sort of mage to be able to tell." She heard Archer sigh again. "Rin, if you don't mind, I'd suggest we leave this place. It doesn't leave a good mark on us, and I mean both you and me in that regard."

Just as she was about to respond, Rin felt her Command Spells burn. "Rin?" Archer asked, noticing her master's discomfort.

"Quiet down Archer, my Command Spells are reacting to something." Rin whispered. "I think we're being watched from somewhere, But I can't sense the. Can you?"

"Nothing from my end Rin."

"Hm, does that mean we're being watched by another Master?" Rin thought aloud.

"That doesn't sound good. At all."

"Yeah. On the bright side, at least we won't have to waste time finding them." Rin said observantly.

The night skies blanketed over Fuyuki City, the land being illuminated by majestic lights, both natural and artificial as the moon and stars shone over the bustling metropolis. The inhabitants of the city moving on with their lives, ignorant of the happenings that occur during the evening sky. Atop one of the skyscrapers that graced the city was a redcoat wearing high school girl with her hand on her waist, her eyes focused on the busy streets below like a peregrine falcon eyeing its prey.

"So? What do you think? A great vantage point, right?" she asked as her servant materialized right beside her.

"Uuuu, quite breezy up here. And I can see everything from here!" Archer turned to her master with a quizzical look on her face. "Why didn't we just head up here from the get go? Would've saved time rather than walking around town."

"What are you talking about? All you would've gotten is a bird's eye view from up here. You wouldn't be able to get a true feel for the city unless you actually go through it in person." Rin explained, though her eyes seemed to be drawn in by Archer's makeshift eyepatch. She looked away when she noticed that Archer noticed.

Archer planted her fists on her waist. "Rin, I'm an Archer-class for a reason. There's nothing to worry about, I guarantee you that my single eye is far better than this world's best marksman."

Rin's cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. "I'm sorry Archer. I know that even the weakest servants are far stronger than the strongest humans. Guess I was just concerned." Rin admitted.

"Well I'm flattered with your concern." Archer said without an ounce of sarcasm. "I'll admit, physically speaking, my depth perception's a bitch. But my vision isn't even my strongest senses, and that included the time I had both eyes."

"Oh?" Rin's ears perked up at the confident statement. "Then what do you rely on, Archer?"

Her servant gave Rin a confident smirk, before facing outward. Her eye closed and her hand drawn out. She let out a long drawn out breath. "Will you come to me, my friend?" her servant began speaking; no, chanting, in an almost hushed whisper. "Though we are in a strange world, will you heed my call?" Rin felt a wave of energy encircling around them. Rin could not almost stop herself, she was feeling excited. "Will you accompany me again, on another great adventure, my eternal companion?"

Then, along with one final surge of magical energy, the both of them were bombarded with gusts of wind. Gusts so strong that she was sure it could send them flying off the building, even her servant. Yet the winds danced around them; no, it danced around Her. Around Archer, flowing along every inch of her skin, the loose fabric of her clothing and her cape billowing as if ready to lift her. And Rin could see, her Archer was smiling a smile that was brighter than even the morning sun, even more than the smile she showed her. Then, just as the winds began to recede, a particular bit of information came back to her, her eyes widening in realization.

"So this is why you said you're called the "Windranger," huh?" Rin remarked, a smirk forming on her face.

"Hehe, you could say that." Archer said bashfully.

"Is it some form of magic?" Rin asked, curious at her servant's power.

Archer's eye closed in thought, trying to come up with an answer. "I't hard to explain. How about this, you know how servants and masters share a dream cycle?" Rin nodded, prompting her servant to continue. "Then when you come upon my memories, then maybe you'll be able to explain just what it is that wield."

Rin gave Archer a gratifying smile. "I'll hold you to that, Archer."

Her servant gave her own smile back, before gesturing to the cityscape. "You wanna see how I see things without my eye?" Rin nodded, eager to experience such a sight.

The winds picked up again, though only as a soothing breeze. "Ah, 2km southeast of us, there's a couple having an argument. By the sounds of things, it's not their first. Oh, about 800m north of us, a young man's getting accosted by a couple of punks. Haha, but those punks are getting accosted by a bunch of gangsters. Hm, all the way in Miyama, there's a girl walking the streets by herself. She's lucky the neighborhood's empty, otherwise that would be extremely dangerous for her to be doing that. How foolish of her."

Rin could only gawk at her servant upon witnessing just a glimpse of her true capabilities. "Wow, amazing. You're quite the exceptional Archer!"

"Thanks, I try." Archer responded, again with that bashfulness she briefly displayed.

Rin's eyes scanned the landscape hoping to find these happenings that Archer had described to her, before focusing on a redheaded boy around her age. In that brief moment, as recognition flashed in her mind, she saw that the boy was apparently staring back at her. She shook her head, dismissing the possibility as she walked back.

"What's wrong Rin?" Archer asked.

"Nothing. It's just a boy I know from school." Rin replied.

She jumped a little when Archer moved to stand right in front of her. "Are you sure? 'Cause it felt like you just threw away a thought just now."

"I told you, it's nothing, Archer." Rin stated, reassuring her servant.

She failed. "Really? Then why don't you tell me what this "nothing" is then?"

Rin would've waved off her servant's concern, but something about Archer just seemed so convincing to her. It made Rin want to open up. She probably wouldn't do something like that, but she'd relented in voicing her discarded thought. "When I caught sight of him, it seemed like he took notice immediately, as he looked back up at me."

"Oh, really? Interesting." Archer crossed her arms, her fist right in front of her mouth. "I know people like them. Always ever vigilant. You'd think you'd get the jump on them, but the moment you're about to sink a dagger behind their back, they turn around and smack you right in the head."

Rin couldn't help but quirk an eyebrow at that elaborate explanation Archer had just given her. "You seem quite knowledgeable in that field, Archer. Personal experience?"

"Nah, but it happened to some people I knew in life." Archer replied.

"Who, the assailant or the target?" Rin asked?

Archer merely replied with a grin that somehow got into Rin's nerves. "Yes."

The night sky grew darker as they walked back to the Tohsaka estate, finally retiring from their early reconnaissance. The streets were empty, devoid of any other life except for them. The foreign style houses lined along the road along the south side of Miyama City.

"Uh, Rin? I know we kinda glossed over it, 'cause we both, you know, forgot about it, but what's your wish?" Archer asked from her astralized form.

"Hm? What do you mean?" Rin asked back, still keeping her pace.

"I mean, isn't that what the hell we're doing right now? This whole shindig we're involved in?" Archer elaborated.

"Honestly, I don't really have a wish?" Rin admitted.

"Huh? Then why're you doing this then? Seems like such a waste of time."

"I'm participating because I've been preparing for this day for 10 years, Archer. Winning the Holy Grail War has been the Tohsaka dream for generations." Rin told her servant, though she could tell Archer was not satisfied.

"There's more to it. This isn't some school exam where you're reciting an answer from memory. Why are you here, if you don't have a wish?"

At this, Rin stopped on her tracks, turning to where Archer would be if she were materialized. "I'm participating because there is a fight, Archer."

There was a moment of silence before Archer responded. "So you fight for the fight, huh? For the win? For the glory?" Rin could hear the chuckle escape from Archer.

This time it was Rin that gave her own confident smirk. "You could say that."

"Haha, quite the little glory seeker of a master I have. Alright then. It makes the fights easier now that there's a clear goal in mind. I'll be with you all the way, Rin."

With a satisfied smile and reddening cheeks, Rin continued her walk. "How about you, Archer?"

"Hm? My wish? I don't really have any."

"You don't? Not even a little?" Rin prodded.

"You could say I lived a fulfilling life, Rin. So with that in mind, trust me that I will bring you your crowning achievement."

Once again, Rin smiled a smile that was beaming with pride, but this time it concerned her servant. Sure, she had her expectations shattered because of her own mistakes last night (though technically early that morning), but with a servant like Archer, she felt like not even the world could stop her just through determination alone. And that's saying something.

Upon crossing a crossroad, her eyes immediately caught sight of something, or rather someone, she would rather not encounter that night.

"Rin? What're you doing?" her servant asked almost rhetorically.

"I'm hiding. It's someone I know, from school. I skipped today, so I'd rather not run into her. " she explained, though she'd be lying if the scene before her did not catch her interest.

The purple haired underclassmen of hers, being confronted by a blonde, red-eyed foreigner. After what seemed like a short minute, the foreigner moved forward, leaving her underclassmen alone. Rin stayed where she hid, waiting for both to leave her sights before she continued on home.

"Kirei? It's me. I made a contract with Archer last night, so please register me officially as a Master."

"Very well." Came the reply from her phone, her servant leaning closer behind her. "So, what is your next move? Would you care to stop by? I have something for you that your parents left in my care."

"You mean my Father's will? I already deciphered it and found what he left, so that's fine." Rin responded. "I'll stop by if I'm ever in the mood, so I'll see you then."

"Wait, Rin-" the response was cut off as she hung up the phone.

Upon exiting the gates to her house, she felt Archer's astralized presence. "So we're finally heading to your school, huh? Sure would've been fun if we dropped by yesterday."

Rin sighed as she made her way towards her school. "I told you. I skipped school yesterday. It would do me no good to just "drop by" if that were the case."

She heard her servant sigh. "Such complicated nonsense. At the very least you've secured it as a potential base right? 'Cause I'm assuming you've made preparations before you summoned me."

"Don't worry, Archer. There's only one other magus family beside the Tohsakas that live in Fuyuki, but their bloodline has thinned." Rin said reassuringly. "A shadow of their former selves, if you will. They have no masters in this war."

The silence that followed did not reassure Rin, but she didn't feel the need to continue, so she went on her way in silence herself.

The hours passed by as the day went on, with Rin going through her school life as per normal. But when she felt Archer's presence approach her in the middle of class, she could not help but be worried, if only a little. "There's another servant in the school, Rin."

Rin's body froze when Archer broke the news to her. "Have they done anything?" she whispered.

"Nothing at the moment. They seemed to be content with observing, I'm assuming." Archer replied.

Rin nodded. "Alright, keep an eye of them. When school's over, we'll inspect the premises, make sure they don't do anything to it."

"Alright, see you before sunset!" then she felt Archer's presence lessen.

Rin balled her fists, her knuckles whitening from how tight her fist was. Someone would disrupt the only other safe haven she had, and she would have none of it. She will deal with this situation before it escalates.

"It seems for the most part the school remains unblemished." Archer reported, her presence hanging behind Rin. "That servant seemed to hang out in one particular spot for most of the day. And there was no one among the students and teachers who did anything out of the ordinary."

Rin herself was finishing up on inspecting the school grounds, the rooftop being the final location within the school she had scoured. She stood herself back up, a hand on the back of her waist. "Regardless, the school has become a place where we have to remain vigilant. A shame really, I liked the peace here."

"I'm sure you can find other peaceful places to hang around in, Rin." Archer commented with a chuckle.

Rin felt a smile on her face. "I'm sure I could, Archer." She sighed. "Anyway, I might have to set up my own bounded field here, but I think we should call it a night." She said, turning towards the rooftop entrance.

"Rin." She halted her steps, feeling the turn in Archer's demeanor. "There's another servant approaching."

"Are you sure?" she asked, keeping her voice low as her body went on alert when she felt a new presence around her.

"100%." Archer replied, as a golden shimmer revealed itself, their body hunkered down almost to a crouch. Their right hand wielding a golden lance that it held behind its back, the shaft shifting to a bluer hue. The same assortment of colors hung behind the figure's shoulder like some sort of shawl. The figure wore a straw hat that shielded a part of their face. But what stood out to Rin was this figure's blue skin and feet. Feet that would fit more on a wild cat of some kind.

Rin scowled, slowly backing away as the figure kept their eyes on her. "Are you here to kill me?" She asked.

The figure brought their lance to bear, their stance shifting slightly. "We were sent to scout." they said, slowly aiming their lance at an area just next to her. "Unfortunately, it seems that we have been compromised."

"Unfortunate indeed." Rin responded, a smirk forming on her mouth.

"And so, it is with great regret," the servant slowly trailed their lance towards her. "that we must ensure, that there are no witnesses."

Rin gritted her teeth, balling her fists at the declaration. Already on full alert, she took one long step as the servant launched themselves, their lance barely missing her. They were not putting their all in the attack, otherwise she would not be standing right now. She knew humans stood no chance against them, but she'll take whatever blessings she got, turning on her feet and running straight towards the fenced roof.

Rin channeled her mana, her circuits flaring to life. "Es ist groß! Es ist klein!" her feet launched her forward, creating distance from the servant. "Vox Gott Es Atlas!" then she launched herself upward, somersaulting over the fence.

She curled her body tighter as she was freefalling from her leap. "Archer, break my fall!"

Within an instant, the winds formed around her as she felt Archer's arms holding her close, their fall broken by the strong sudden gusts the blew onto them from below. Their landing; graceful as a dancer's routine, her hair flowing as if she herself was pirouetting. But just as they slowed down, she felt Archer push her forward, ushering her along. Rin ran as fast as she could, glancing behind her to see the hostile servant closing in on her. She refocused her efforts on running, yet when she felt the hostile presence closest to her, with its lance swung at her direction, her servant materialized to divert the attack, kicking it away with her own bare feet. The enemy servant leaped back the moment Archer fully revealed herself, Rin slowing down to bring her attention at the impending altercation.

Her Archer stood tall with a perfect posture that befit a hero with an untold levy of experience, her short orange hair billowing behind her. In her left hand was a bright green bow that was almost as tall as Archer herself, its gold accented limbs were as thick as Rin's own arms. But the eccentricities of the bow did not end there. The limbs had another layer above it, serrated with the pattern of a falcon's wings. Close to the back of the bow on each limb physically empty sockets that glow with a bright green light. The back of her bow was decorated with the figurehead of a falcon, her hand coiled around a grip that looked more akin to a modern compound bow. And the bowstring itself; Rin was at a loss for a brief moment, noticing the absence of a string, before seeing an ethereal green line draw itself from one limb to another.

The enemy servant; Rin guessed a Lancer-class based on its weapon; stood themselves up straighter, taking on a more relaxed posture as it regarded her Archer. "It seems, we will reach an impasse." Came their comment before they lowered themselves back to a more crouched stance.

Rin stood there, waiting for the conflict to proceed to its inevitable outcome, before noticing her servant casting a glance towards her. The ever present smirk was on her face. Then, just as Rin was about to respond, Archer winked.

Eyes widening and cheeks reddening, Rin shook her head before readdressing her servant, a more determined expression adorned on her face. "Archer. Show him what you got!"

Archer turned her gaze back towards the hostile servant. "With pleasure, Master." She replied, her voice laced with confidence as her grip on her bow tightened.

For what seemed like a minute, both servants stared at each other, neither one making the first move, though the rising tension in the air seemed to slowly reach some sort of breaking point. They all could feel it. Then, before Rin's eyes could register, Archer disappeared, leaving behind a small crater. The Lancer-class servant reacted immediately, swinging their lance in a downward direction, but it was a mere moment too late. They were sent flying by Archer's kick as she lay on the ground, her foot still in the air as she held her bow drawn at the flying servant. With a release, the servant was sent further higher, but Archer was ever vigilant.

With a powerful swing, she kicked herself off the ground, another crater left behind as she dodged another swing from Lancer. And just as quick, she delivered another kick at them, sending them flying towards the school building. Just as she trained her bow at the at the heavy dust, she switched her aim to her left, letting the arrow fly as Lancer was once again rushing towards her, with agility fitting for their class. Her arrow was faster, sending them crashing down across the dirt field.

She brought her bow behind her head, blocking another attack that flanked her. Her cape flared as a light gust of wind combed over her, creating the distance between the two servants as the bowstring disappeared, Archer now gripping the bottom limb of her bow like a baseball bat. She stopped another swing as Lancer closed the distance between them again, the golden lance just closely brushing her face. She kneed the servant, causing it to stagger, long enough for her to give them a powerful swing that sent them tumbling away, the dirt field now home to many craters and trenches.

"So this is a battle between servants, huh?" Rin commented, barely able to keep up with her reinforced eyes. "How is Lancer able to retaliate so quickly after each of Archer's blows?"

"They're called illusions where I'm from, Master." Archer explained, another one of her kicks sending Lancer flying away from her, the momentum bring her to the center of the now ruined field.

"Illusions?" Rin replied, confused.

"Yes. Mirror copies that carried some form of the wielder's strength and capabilities. There were many heroes that utilized them. There was even an artifact that allowed its wielder to create their own illusions." Archer's posture relaxed when Lancer's form revealed itself within the debris.

"And, what of his? How do his illusions compare?" Rin asked, both intrigued and worried.

Archer scoffed. "They hit like wet noodles, Master." Archer responded, though she aimed her bow at Lancer. "But they are limitless. I've heard of a hero like that, though I never came across them in life."

Lancer chuckled, though their face was obscured by its straw hat and the dust that gathered around the debris. "Looks like we have been figured out." Stated the Lancer, golden shimmers appearing all around the field. Right before Rin's eyes, illusions of Lancer had made themselves apparent, each of them poised in a different stance, but all facing them. "We outnumber you, Archer. Can you keep up?"

The moment of silence from her servant worried Rin, but the chuckling eased her worries, if only just slightly. "That's an odd question, Lancer. Seems like something you should ask yourselves."

"Is that pride in your voice?" Lancer said, a number of their illusions aiming their lance at Archer.

"Nah." She replied, her knocked arrow flaring with green mystical energy. "Just confidence."

Once again, the tension between the servants rose in the air, the both of them poised to strike one another as their second round stood at the precipice. A wind based Archer, and a Lancer with an army of illusions. Rin swallowed the lump in her throat, her knuckles whitening as she tightened her balled fists. She could feel the rising build up of mana from both servants.

SNAP!

Both Rin and Archer, along with a number of Lancer's illusions, turned their heads at the source of the sudden noise that disturbed the servants' duel. She saw someone; a male that wore her school's uniform, running towards the main building.

"A student?" Rin voiced with worry, jogging towards Archer. "There was someone else in school?"

Archer's posture relaxed, dispersing the green energy from her knocked arrow. "Damn, we should've been more thorough." Rin nodded, agreeing with the sentiment.

The both of them heard Lancer let out a disappointed sigh. "How unfortunate." They said, turning to face them again. "Hold them off."

Rin's eyes widened in alarm, with Archer once again aiming her bow at three retreating forms of Lancer as the rest of the illusions charged at them.

"Archer, stop him!" Rin ordered futilely.

Loosing her first arrow at a line of the Lancers, a ball of vines materialized in her hands, throwing them at the shrinking forms of Lancer. The ball erupted, wrapping around the first Lancer as remnants of the vines flew out further to wrap around another. Her sense of elation did not come to her, however, as the two disabled Lancers disappeared into motes of golden dust.

"Damn!" she cursed, all the while kicking away the Lancers that had come too close, another arrow knocked and loosed at a small grouping. The illusions had been easily dealt with. Without waiting for Rin, she rushed off towards the building, chasing after Lancer.

Rin took the longer path, running through the side entrance, her footsteps echoing in the empty school corridor.

"Damn it, I'm so stupid!" she thought to herself, reaching the stairs with ragged breath. "Eliminating witnesses is the first rule of being a magus. I hate that rule, so I've always been extra careful, but…" she slowed down upon reaching the top of the stairs, hand on the rail as she gathered her breath. As she brought her vision back up to level, she saw Archer standing in the middle of the corridor, a scowl on her usually cheery face.

She walked over to her servant, her eyes immediately following where Archer had kept her gaze. There it was. The crumpled form of a student, the pool of blood almost covering his entire body. "Archer. Follow Lancer. If we don't at least learn of his Master's face, then none of this would've been worth it."

Her servant nodded, turning to the windows before disappearing in a mote of green particles. Rin steadily made her way towards the student, a scowl of determination on her face. "Rin, this is your responsibility." She said to herself.

She kneeled before the boy, inspecting the wound on his back. "Lancer pierced him with his spear. He's not going to make it. Not with a skewered heart." She frowned when she noticed movement. The boy was still breathing. "I'm sorry. I'll stay with you until your time comes." She said, turning him over.

She gasp, eyes contracting in horror.

Her body dropped to both knees, drawing in ragged breaths as her body went limp. "Don't do this to me…" she said, shaking her head, her shoulders quivering. "Why did it have to be you? Why did you have to pick this hour, on this day, to be here?" she brought both her hands to her face, her fingers tense. "How am I supposed to look her in the eye tomorrow?"

Her eyes opened, her aqua eyes reflecting the moonlit shine. She rummaged through her pocket, finding the pendant her father left for her. She clutched it. "No. There's still a way."

Rin lay on her sofa with her arm draped over her head and her other hand on her stomach, her entire person exhausted physically and emotionally. She had been laying there since she got back home. She felt the presence of her servant, materializing in a green shimmer, behind the sofa. "I'm sorry, Rin. Lancer's Master was a wiley one."

"Ah. I guess I shouldn't have expected it to be that easy." She said, bring her hand up, palm facing the ceiling. Her body shifted then so she was lying on her side.

"Rin, we'll make sure something like that won't occur again, not while we're still around." Her servant declared, walking closer to her.

Rin couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, we won't." she replied, turning her head to face Archer. "At least we managed to save someone."

"Wait a minute." Rin's voice was loud as if awoken, a thought dawning on her. "If his Master learns the witness they took out was still around…"

"Then Lancer is most likely still on the hunt." Archer finished.

The both of them were now stood outside her house, ready to head out once more. "We need to get there as soon as possible, Archer." She ordered as her servant picked her up in a bridal carry.

"You know where to go?" Archer asked, earning a nod from her master.

"Yes, I do." Came Rin's curt reply.

"No problem then." Archer declared, leaping off straight towards the night sky. "Winds…" a blanket of air covered their forms just as Archer was about to fall back. "take me!"

The force of a hurricane propelled them off, flying over the houses as they made their way to the traditional side of the city. "You can fly?" Rin asked her servant.

"More like glide with the wind!" Archer responded with a chuckle.

The distance was covered in mere seconds, Archer landing the both of them a block away from where the boy's house was, and along with it, the Lancer's presence. Archer dropped Rin on her feet, the master running towards the house with urgency while her servant took stock of the premises. Her eyes flared when she took note of a particular presence.

"Rin! There's another servant in there!" Archer called out, rushing to join her master.

Rin herself slow down upon turning the corner, her servant's warning ringing in her mind. She slowed to a crawl just as Archer arrived, standing before her as their eyes spotted the figure that stood at the entrance. Their bodies were on alert as they took note of this figure, this presence that had showed themselves just as Archer had sad.

Archer materialized her bow when this figure casually walked towards them, a scythe rested on their shoulders. The figure wore a heavy dark blue cloak that covered their entire torso and head, their face obscured except for their eyes as the gold highlights seemed to make their pale milky eyes shine. Beneath the cloak was a light metal cuirass, shielding the figure's form. A brown belt held the figure's brown leather pants, while also hoisting an array of holstered throwing knives. Light gauntlets and metal boots that shared the cuirass' decorative patterns were adorned on the figure's limbs, the digits on their hands free with fingerless gloves.

"So…" the newly appeared servant started, their voice distinctively feminine and carrying a tinge of amusement as their eyes gazed over them. "…are you here to play, or parley?"

A/N:

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