[Fate/ninth heaven] Forgotten Wings; dolor [route I, day 7]

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Masterlist and readme are here.

dolor

  —This is a story.
  This is an old story from days when the world was much younger than it is now.

  He never once considered refusing the path that fate had chosen for him.
  In his society, it was something that wasn’t done.
  …He remembered hearing stories as a boy of the one person who had tried to struggle against being chosen, and the fate that that person had eventually suffered.
  It was enough of a horror story to convince anyone to do as they were told, and worse yet, the story seemed to be true, as there were still records from that time.
  …But that wasn’t why he refused to resist his own fate.

  Not because he was afraid,
  and not because of the expectations of the world.

  If it was his fate, then surely it was the reason he had been born.
  If it was his fate, then surely it was the reason “he” existed in the world.
  Why struggle against that reason?
  It was only right to accept it, and by doing so, many people would be saved, regardless of what he had to endure.
  —He told himself this.

  He told himself this over and over.
  Over and over, before it was too late and he was plunged into that eternal hell.

  …What did he hope to gain?
  I know that there must have been something.
  He wouldn’t have repeated his reasons to himself over and over again like that unless there was something more he wanted, or something he feared.
  And there was nothing he feared.
  Someone in surroundings as dull and cold as his learns to forget about fear.
  So in the end—what did he hope to gain?
  What was it that he believed he would receive, at the end of that journey—?

  …
  ……
  ………
  …………I wake up.
  I open my eyes and am completely awake.
  “—”

  …I didn’t expect to sleep this well, but I feel fully rested despite my uneasy dreams.
  It’s kind of a guilty thing, but I’m glad I didn’t dream about what happened last night.
  Even though I’ve just woken up, it’s all I can think about.
  Like an old video tape.
  The colorless frames replay over and over in my mind.
  Assassin was defeated and killed.
  Avenger’s Master wasn’t satisfied with that, and forced her Servant to kill Assassin’s Master as well, and despite how hard we tried, we couldn’t make it through in time.
  …Maybe we could have made it if we’d exhausted all our strength, but what’s done is done.
  All there is left is the weight of that possibility.
  That maybe we could have saved that woman if we’d been giving our all.
  Her life is on our shoulders.
  Avenger’s torment is on our shoulders.
  ……I will bear this weight every day of my life until I die.

  I wash my face and get dressed.
  Quietly, I head down to the room that has already become the heart of the home that Lancer, Rose, and I belong to.
  Both of them are there.
  Toast with butter and jam is placed in front of everyone, and Rose sits eating one slice absentmindedly.
  Lancer has not touched his breakfast, but has his hands wrapped around a cup of what seems to be black tea.
  …He doesn’t have the same murderous aura from last night anymore, but even now he seems tense.
  Or to put it in other words, nowhere in the posture of the angelic knight can I see the quiet and flustered Lancer from yesterday.

  I sit down.
  The atmosphere is hostile against everyday greetings, but I halfheartedly wish them both good morning and sit down, staring at my toast.
  I’m hungry, and yet I don’t know if I can bear to eat it when the events of last night are still painted against the backs of my eyes.

  Rose lets out a sigh.
  “You two should eat your food. We don’t have any time to rest today.”
  I turn to her.
  I hear a shift of fabric and can tell that Lancer has turned to look at her too.
  “Rose…?”
  “We all saw how that Yellma woman was. She’ll probably be on the move again tonight, and if she runs into any other Masters, she’ll make that Avenger kill them, too. We can’t allow that, can we?”
  “—No.”
  “—No.”

  …Oh.
  Lancer and I answered her in unison.

  “So we need to come up with some kind of plan if we’re going to be able to fight them. I’ve been looking through the books since early, but I haven’t been able to find anything on a sword called Exhaust Note. What about you, Ein?”
  “—No, it’s not a name I’m familiar with either. Avenger herself is strange, so if there was any clue to her identity, I probably missed it because of that.”
  Rose folds her arms and sighs.
  “What’s really bothering me is that Hector-sama didn’t tell us about this. He clearly said that each of the seven Servant classes had been summoned, Caster first and Lancer last, and told them to us in order. He never said anything about an Avenger being summoned.”
  Come to think of it, Rose is right.
  “Maybe Avenger’s Master is a rule-breaker like Nana and Primea. That would explain it, wouldn’t it? If it’s a Servant called into the Avenger class, it wouldn’t be strange for her to have been summoned outside the usual rules.”
  Rose sighs.
  “I don’t know, but either way, it’s bad if it was done sneakily enough that someone as powerful as Hector-sama missed it. It feels like a really bad omen. I don’t think that even that guy would tease us so badly as to ‘forget’ to warn us about two things this dangerous.”
  I sigh along with Rose this time.
  There’s been a lot of sighing this morning, come to think of it.
  “And there’s still Caster, who we haven’t seen yet, too. All in all, that’s a total of nine Servants summoned into this Grail War.”
  Rose said that the Grail would appear when six Servants were defeated, so the full-fledged Holy Grail will be appearing in the Tohsaka workshop when there are still three participants left.
  …That’s a scary thought. At that point, the battlefield could become very messy.
  “There was an extraordinary amount of prana left over from the past two wars, after all.”
  “—Man, this Holy Grail War is really messed up.”
  I start to eat my toast.
  Lancer still hasn’t touched his meal, but he does move to drink his tea.
  The mood is still very subdued compared to usual, but at least it’s not as stifling as before.

  “—But really, what are we going to do?”
  Rose and Lancer turn to look at me.
  “It’s obvious that we’re going to find Avenger and her Master and beat them up, but beyond that, what are we going to be doing? Even if you say we’re going to fight, I’m still—”
  …Just dead weight.
  The words are heavy and difficult to admit to.
  Rose smiles.
  Her expression seems pained.
  “I would tell you to look things up in books and see if you can find a weapon to counter Avenger and try to project it, but… since we haven’t been able to identify her that would be troublesome.”
  —Damn.
  I really am useless in this battle.
  I’m the tether keeping Lancer connected to this world, but that makes me a target that needs defending, and so far despite my own training I haven’t been able to defend myself.

  “…Master.”
  Lancer speaks quietly.
  His bitterness is hidden away, and he looks at me with calm red eyes.
  “If you wish to aid us in battle, then the way you should do so is not necessarily through traditional magic. In your state, aiming for Rose’s potential is like trying to capture the moon by scooping its reflection out of the water.”
  I hang my head.
  I hang my head, and prepare for Lancer to confirm my uselessness.
  “—No, you need to be ready to defend yourself. I shall have you learn what battle is like in a safe environment, and make sure you are ready to produce a weapon and go forth into battle if need be.”
  …Um, huh?
  “Lancer.”
  I look up at him.
  Rose is also regarding the knight curiously.
  “…Are you saying you’re going to teach Ein to fight?”
  Lancer tilts his head slightly.
  “…Not precisely. It’s impossible to teach someone how to fight in one day. Rather, I’m going to teach him about fighting. I intend to help him be able to keep his head in a combat situation. My Master has the instincts and the potential, and while we do not have time to develop it, we do have the time to explore it a bit.”
  Rose looks from Lancer to me.
  “That’s actually not a bad idea. If you two do the dishes, I can clear some space in the basement for you to use. That should be big enough, right? It’s not a dojo or a gym, but it should do for now.”
  “You have my thanks.”
  The knight inclines his head and turns back to me.
  “—Master.
  “This battle must be fought. Do you want to join us and be a part of it?”
  …He doesn’t even have to ask.
  “Yes. I know I need to leave most of the fighting to you, but I want to be able to defend myself at least. It’ll make things easier on you, too, Lancer. You can go on the offensive this way without having to worry about me.”
  The knight bows his head.
  “—So be it. Then, Rose, if you would not mind.”
  Rose stands up.
  “Okay. I’ll be back up when it’s ready.”
  I stand up, too.
  “I’ll take care of the dishes, then. I don’t want to impose on you more since you’ll be teaching me, Lancer.”
  The knight bows his head again.

  …
  …So.
  Rose is studying upstairs, and Lancer and I are in the basement.
  Just like the day when Lancer was summoned, everything has been pushed out of the way, but the carpets and rugs are still there.
  The scarlet knight stands facing me, empty-handed.

  “—Ein.”
  “Yes.”
  I stand at attention.
  This feels similar to the times that I had Rose teach me more about magic and about living, but Lancer is a Servant and a hero, so I’m a little nervous.
  “I have heard from Rose that your magical strengths are geared towards reinforcement and projection. There’s nothing suitable here, so before anything else you must create a weapon that you feel would be best for practicing with me.”

  I nod my head.
  Certainly, this seems like the best place to start.
  Reinforcing an object is making it stronger with the power of magic, and so you can repair the weak places or make a shield or weapon out of something ordinary.
  It makes sense, and as my usual first instinct is to look for a weapon when I’m in danger, I’ve been relying mostly on strengthening existing objects to defend myself.
  However, what Ledah says is true.
  If there is no weapon, then the first step is to create one.

  —I open my Magic Circuit.
  My body inverts, and although the parts of me that are human protest and burn as they’re turned away from their original purpose, my mind is clear.
  Projecting is compensating for the absence of something that you need.
  A projected object is created from nothing out of the magus’ own image.
  The more strongly the magus believes in the projection, and the more minutely the magus can imagine and reproduce the details, the stronger the object becomes and the longer it lasts.
  The sole sustenance of such a fake is the magus’ belief.
  —Meaning, if the magus does not fool himself into believing that the projection is real, it will soon break and disappear from the world.

  I’m a poor student at magic and strengthening and projection are my only skills.
  I often fail, so it’s difficult to build up my confidence.
  Still, Rose herself told me that my lack of confidence is all that’s holding me back.
  —I must believe that I can do this.
  I look at the knight in front of me, waiting steadfastly.
  …I have Lancer with me. There’s no way I will fail.

  I close my eyes.
  Something to use for a practice fight.
  …If I were to use a weapon, I think that a basic sword would be the best.
  Swords are the most popular weapon and so I know the most about how they’re used.
  And it’s a bit conceited, but there’s no way to separate the image of a hero and his sword, so if I am to act as the “hero” of this battle of magi, I think a sword would be the best choice.
  And for a practice battle, of course a wooden sword like a shinai is the most obvious and fitting image.

  I’ve handled shinai like the ones used in kendo before.
  I imagine the light weight of the sword, and its length.
  I imagine it strongly and open my hand.
  —For an instant, my Magic Circuit burns as I pull the image of a sword into my hand.

  “…A wooden sword?”
  I open my eyes.
  …Lancer is looking at me with a perplexed expression.

  With a confused head, I look down at the sword in my hand.
  It seems to have come out with no imperfections, and even though I feel foolish, I’m pleased with my workmanship.
  “…Uh… well, yeah. I guess this just really does feel the most natural if we’re going to be practicing. It’s what swordsmanship students use in this age.”

  Lancer seems to think about it, then nods.
  “This does seem wise. Unlike in my age, students would not be in the midst of training for war, correct? There would be no replacements for you if there were an accident with live weapons, and especially for those studying the arts of war for recreational purposes, it would be important to prevent such things.”
  The knight nods his head in approval while casually saying something frightening.
  “—Still, Ein. This is meant to simulate a true battle and as such I will not hold back, even if I am going to constrain myself to a human’s bounds. Are you sure it is wise to use such a weapon?”

  “Honestly, I wouldn’t want to hurt myself with a sword in practice, since I haven’t used these much. And it’s also really light so I shouldn’t have trouble using it.”
  Lancer nods again—and for a moment, he almost seems to smile.
  “…I see.
  “Certainly, as a student you should use the objects you find appropriate for yourself. And, despite the fact that I am to be teaching you, you are still my Master. I should not have such doubts about your choices.”

  —My heart pounds.
  My heart pounds, and I look down as my face grows hot.

  …Of course, that’s not the only reason I want to use a shinai instead of a real weapon.
  If somehow I were to hit Lancer too hard, I wouldn’t want to harm him.
  It’s a ridiculous thought as I know the gap between us, but the self that looks at Lancer and remembers the times we’ve been together as two people rather than Master and Servant thinks so foolishly.
  I’ll keep the worry to myself.
  Lancer would surely be furious with me for looking down on him, although that’s not exactly the case.

  Before me, Lancer is now holding his Noble Phantasm, the brilliant spear Lorelei.
  “—I will restrain myself to using the blunt side of my weapon and 15% power output. This way, I will neither inflict serious harm nor destroy your weapon.”
  Fifteen percent doesn’t sound too intimidating, and I get into a stance.
  It feels a little awkward, but I’m sure that once we start moving, I’ll become used to it quickly and be able to learn.
  Lancer stands with his feet apart and a stern expression.

  “—Now, Ein, come if you will—”

  …
  ……
  ………
  …………man.

  From where I lay on the floor, I watch the scarlet knight kneel down and sit Japanese-style not far from me, smiling as he places his Noble Phantasm at his side.
  Ugh.
  Lancer… is an even more brutal teacher than Rose.

  Right now, if I were a better student, I would be getting up and taking advantage of Lancer’s relaxed composure to hit him with all the surprise I can muster.
  But since it’s Lancer, I’m sure he would intercept it even if I had the strength, …and even though I hate to admit it, I can barely move.

  It went like this.
  I would rush Lancer and he’d attack me before I even managed to complete one swing.
  He said he was holding back, but there was nothing “holding back” about that kind of brutal attack, and I feel bruised all over.
  Even more than that, I had to keep attacking because if I ever paused, Lancer would come and attack me, and the second I was put on the defensive I always lost all ability to cope.
  My body told me that I would be killed the second I didn’t block one of Lancer’s strikes.
  At first I tensed up, but then I got hit more, so eventually I was able to move more fluidly.
  Still, it all amounted to nothing in the end as Lancer would keep me defending for so long I would make mistakes in my defense eventually, and I would get knocked down.
  Even beyond my own failings, it really is no good attempting to beat Lancer the way I fight.
  For one, his weapon is unfair.
  Lancer’s spear is a spear, and so it’s only natural that he has a longer reach than me. He’s taller than me too, so that only amplifies the natural advantages of his weapon.
  So for the past few hours, I’ve just been attempting to hit Lancer even once and getting beat up mercilessly.

  Of course, Lancer called an end to the match when he realized I could no longer stand, and now he’s smiling at me.
  “You’ve done well, Ein.”
  “—Please. If I were actually doing well, I would have been able to hit you even if it was just once. I really am terrible at this.”
  “No, you actually adapted to the flow of combat much better than I expected. And even though your skill still needs sharpening, I was right that you have the proper instincts. It was quite pleasant—I thought it would take much less effort to make you stay down, but you kept coming back with more and more enthusiasm and making me improvise.”
  Lancer’s smile is small, but very proud, and I can barely stand to look at it.
  “A-anyway, thank you. I think I understand what you were trying to teach me now, about fighting.”
  —The second I start thinking too hard, it’s over.
  If I stand around and rack my brains when I have an opponent in front me, my hands won’t move and neither will my body, and I’ll be killed.
  If I stand around thinking about how I have to save someone, I’ll think myself into a corner and the person I’m trying to save will be killed.
  My eyes need to establish a direct line of contact with my body, and I need to act and react based on my heart and my instincts, not my thoughts.
  Strategy is for when my opponent and I are apart, not when I’m close in fighting.
  If I have a weapon that doesn’t work, I just have to project another one or strengthen something and improvise until I can.
  It’s a no-stress situation, even though battles in and of themselves are stressful, because if I stress too hard I’ll definitely freeze up.
  Lancer spent the past few hours teaching me this, and I have learned it in every cell of my body, but now I can’t even move.
  A little while ago, Rose came to bring food for us, and she told us that we’d better call it quits for today or else I won’t be able to move in time to go on patrol.
  And even though I kind of want to go back and try to hit Lancer at least once, stopping Yellma and Avenger is much more important right now.

  So I lie on the floor and stare up at the ceiling while my lunch sits untouched next to me.
  Lancer is drinking tea in between carefully eating Rose’s rice balls.
  I took my shirt off earlier, and so my bare back is pressed to the cold floor.
  It feels nice.
  I turn to the left to look back at Lancer, and wind up staring at my arm instead.
  …It really is covered in the Command Spell.
  The three holy marks wind up my arm like jagged snakes or lightning bolts.
  If I went to any of my part-time jobs with a tattoo as bold as this, I’m sure I’d be fired right away. It would scare people into thinking I was a member of the yakuza or something.
  Still, this is a holy mark, and even though I haven’t had much time to look at it, but it feels like a natural part of me.

  I wonder what would happen to the marks if I used my Command Spell.
  Would they disappear?
  Somehow it feels sad and wrong to consider that happening.
  “They would not disappear. The marks would simply fade.”
  I must have spoken aloud accidentally, as Lancer answers my question.

  …I’m not sure I want it to fade, and I say so.
  “I mean, this Command Spell is my bond with you as Master and Servant. Even though the Command Spell will grant me miracles that neither of us could do otherwise, I would hate the thought of it disappearing because of what it would mean.”
  Lancer gives me a sidelong look, as if considering, and then speaks.
  “—Actually, Master, that statement is slightly incorrect. The dissolution of the Command Spells does not terminate the contract between Master and Servant unless the Master chooses to break the contract at that time.”
  “Wait, it doesn’t? But then—”
  “No, Ein. The Command Spells are simply the guarantee of a Servant’s unconditional obedience. Even if given orders that we find distasteful, we are forced to follow them and obey our Master because our Master could force us to do so anyway. If a Servant who disliked his Master had his Master use all three Command Spells, his Master would no longer be safe. The Servant would be able to kill that Master without any possible interference.”
  …I feel a chill.
  Certainly, that’s true.
  If I used up all my Command Spells, then Lancer would be able to kill me as easily as Avenger killed Assassin’s Master. Even more easily, probably.
  Lancer continues to look at me, and then smiles a bit.
  “You have no need to seem so concerned. Even were you to use all your Command Spells, I would not turn my blade against you.
  “—I cannot foresee any event that would make me come to dislike you that much. I responded to your summons because we are similar, Ein.”
  …I can’t see anything in myself that would make Lancer say such a thing.
  But I’m happy enough to hear him say it that I could cry.

  “—Lancer.
  “Could you tell me more about the Command Spell?
  “I’ve heard the basics from Rose, and I haven’t been in a situation where I have to use it yet, but it would be best to know.”
  Lancer inclines his head with approval in his eyes.
  “Very well.
  “As I already said, the Command Spell is your proof of command over my obedience.
  “With it, a Master can be sure that his Servant will obey him, and can also issue any three orders that will be absolutely obeyed.
  “Saying ‘any three orders’ is a bit misleading, however. The Command Spell is best used for one-time events, not for orders that would last a long time.
  “To compare, let us say that you suspected I was unwilling to part with information about another Servant—let us use the example of Caster, as we know nothing about Caster now. If you were to use your Command Spell to order me to tell you everything I knew about Caster, I would have no choice but to do it. If you used your Command Spell to order me to only speak the truth to you for the rest of the Grail War, the power of the Command Spell would be severely weakened, and I would be able to resist it.
  “If resisted, the Command Spells cause pain and reduce a Servant’s abilities. We are compelled powerfully to obey, so resisting a Command Spell is tiresome and sometimes futile. A weak Command Spell with its strength spread out over time can be resisted with only minor discomfort.
  “Actually, such a Command Spell can be enforced if the Master is very powerful or the Servant very weak, but I do not believe it possible of you, so there are only three real ways for you to use the Command Spell.
  “First, to command me to do something against my will. I will do it if you order me to, but you must pay one Command Spell in return for treading inside my body.”
  Lancer places a hand to his chest and looks at me seriously.
  …I remember Avenger struggling and shake my head.
  “I would never do that to you. Even if I don’t know why you’re doing it, you have the right to refuse my orders. Making you do things against your will is just wrong no matter how you look at it.”
  Lancer nods.
  “The second way to use the Command Spell is to strengthen me. For instance, commanding me to use my Noble Phantasm or to strike the next blow with all my strength. With the Command Spell behind me, I will be able to use extra force because of its momentum.
  “Thirdly is to bend the laws of reality in order for me to do things for you. For instance, summoning me from long distances or across the battlefield to save your life when you are about to be killed.”
  Lancer means, the same as what Nessiah and Berserker did two days ago.
  Certainly, Nessiah would have been killed beyond a doubt if he hadn’t used the Command Spell to escape, and if he’d used it even a little bit too late he still would have been killed.
  “The power of the Command Spell is such that not even the world can resist it. It is a powerful magic, truly a sign of the sacred nature of the Holy Grail.”
  I nod my head.
  I still don’t want to squander it, but it’s good to know more about the nature of the trump card I’ve been handed.
  It’s also important to remember that all the other Masters also have this weapon to use.

  I take my time cooling off and meditating.
  We’re going to go out again tonight to try to find Yellma and settle this, but if I focus too much on that or try too hard not to focus on that, I’ll tense up and be unready for battle.
  Instead, I accept it as a fact and think of nothing but my healing bruises and the way that Lancer is still beside me.
  I eat my lunch slowly and relax as my body adapts to the punishment of the fight and begins to heal itself, readying for tonight.

  And after a few hours, both Lancer and I head upstairs.
  It’s almost dinnertime.

  …Rose is standing in the kitchen with the food half-prepared.
  Dinner is half-prepared, but she’s just staring out the window blankly, wearing a distant expression.
  Lancer heads over to take his seat in an unconcerned way, but I go over to her.
  It’s rare for Rose to act like this.

  “I thought I was gonna have to go down and get you guys.”
  Rose says so indifferently as I approach.
  That’s so like her.
  Even though she looks distracted, I could never manage to sneak up on her, not even if my life depended on it.
  “No, we were actually already done by the time you came down earlier. The rest of it was just me putting myself together.”
  Rose glances over at me with a curious face.
  “So you actually did listen to me, huh. Well, how did it go? What do you think of Lancer as a teacher?”
  “…Well, he’s much scarier than you are, but I still managed to have fun. It never gets any easier realizing just how far behind someone else you are though.”
  Rose sighs.
  She looks strangely dejected.
  “Is something the matter?”
  …Oh.
  …She’s looking at me like I caught her going for her chocolate.
  “Not really. Well, maybe a little.
  “—I guess I’m just a little bit jealous, you know?”
  Rose smiles into the distance with a fond look on her face.
  “Up until today, I was the only one that really got to bully you like that. But now someone else has been able to see all the cute faces you make when you get frustrated. It’s such a shame.”
  …Um.
  On the one hand, I’m feeling a little bit violated.
  …I’m feeling a little bit violated, but it’s still nice to see Rose act like a young girl of her age and be concerned about something so petty.
  It’s dangerous, but it still feels as though I’ve been allowed to see something fleeting and precious.

  Dinner goes quietly and we talk about ordinary things.
  I wash the dishes as Rose and Lancer get ready.
  We’ve already decided that we’ll head to Shinto again, as that was where Yellma and Avenger were before.
  —We cannot afford to lose this battle, but we will go in simply to fight it.
  I want to be of use.
  Rose is fighting for the pride of the magi, Lancer is fighting for the pride of the Heroic Spirits, and I am fighting for my own pride.
  We won’t allow people like that to harm this town, even in the name of the Holy Grail War.

  Once again, the town is silent and people are few.
  The lights are still on down towards the markets, but we head for the bridge.

  There are fewer and fewer people the further we go.
  It’s a bit eerie, but I’m glad that the people are safe in their homes and away from the battles they might otherwise be caught up in.

  “—Ouch.”
  The bridge isn’t quite in sight yet, but a stab like being branded runs up my arm.
  When I look up, Rose and Lancer are both there looking at me.
  “We have to hurry.”
  I nod my head and begin to run.

  We run.
  And run.
  —There’s nothing but the sound of our footsteps on the sidewalk, and distantly, the sounds of metal and bodies moving fiercely.
  At last, we come into sight of the park.

  This is—

  Yellma is sitting on the partitioning wall and fanning herself like she’s bored.
  On the other side of the park is a small form I know well.
  It’s Vienya.
  Unlike Yellma, she’s holding her hands out in front of her and a glyph is shining from beneath her feet. It seems as though she’s casting some spell, and it must be high-level as it’s taking a long while to incant.
  Her familiar, the black bird, is flying above her in circles with its wings flapping hard.

  Between the two of them, the black knight pursues the retreating form of Archer.
  Avenger seems subdued as compared to yesterday, and as I begin to see her face when she touches down and stops moving, she looks grim and isn’t smiling.
  Archer is constantly on the move, but it doesn’t seem as though Avenger is giving him the time he needs to nock and fire his arrows.
  …This is bad.
  If he had the proper distance to fight, Archer would be able to contend with Avenger evenly, but it seems that knowing that Avenger doesn’t intend to give him that kind of chance.
  She’s pursuing him relentlessly, chasing after him without pause.
  Because Archer is retreating and has to think of his path, while Avenger simply has to follow his movements, she’s slowly gaining on him and surely he will be within the reach of her sword soon.
  We have no time to delay.
  “—Rose, is there a barrier?”
  “Yeah. There’s nobody around to see, so just give me a second and I’ll blow it right open.”
  Her Magic Crest is glowing fiercely.
  “—Master, your orders?”
  Lancer asks quietly and gravely.
  “Rose can handle the barrier on her own, but as soon as she has it open we have to run right in. I’ll follow you and see if I can at least get Vienya out of the way.”
  Without questioning, Lancer nods his head and calls his Noble Phantasm.

  —Then.
  A bolt of light crosses the battlefield.
  Vienya has finished casting her spell, and a blue streak of light like a throwing star is shot right at Yellma.
  With a sneer, Yellma stands up and sweeps her fan, projecting a thin bubble that absorbs the light and then breaks.
  “Ohoho, if you think you’re going to fight me, you’re a hundred years too early, little girl!”
  Yellma stretches her arms out, and even though Vienya begins to cast something to counter, the sky cracks and power rains down like lightning.
  —This kind of spell is around Rose’s level when she gets serious.
  It’s not as strong as Nessiah’s magic, but if something like this hits Vienya when she can’t defend herself yet—

  “Vienya—!”
  Archer turns midflight and is suddenly there at his Master’s side.
  There was no flash of light or crack in the air, so a Command Spell was unnecessary.
  The young man arrives steadfastly and pushes his Master out of the way.
  Her body is small and light, and she skids far away, coming to stop at a safe difference. Her familiar arrives to continue flying in circles over her.
  Yellma’s spell crashes down, but it washes off of Archer’s body.
  As if to say that such a paltry trick cannot damage a Servant.

  “—Got you!”
  In the wake of Yellma’s spell.
  Avenger lunges, and pierces the bowman’s chest.
  —Archer’s body sinks back, but he doesn’t fall to his knees.
  His braced stance says that he knew that sword would pierce through his chest if he pushed his Master aside.
  And yet, he didn’t hesitate to do it anyway.

  “—!!”
  At the soft sound in the silence, Archer turns to look at his Master.
  Even at this distance, I can see his pure smile.
  —Selflessly.
  He declares that his Master was more than important enough to lay down his life, and smiles to show his relief that she is still safe.

    —I’ll see you on the other side,
    and thanks.

  Archer’s body disappears into light.
  The light reflects us all, and casts a warm tone over Avenger’s sullen expression and sword.

  “—Avenger, you know what comes next.
  “Be a good girl and do as you’re told this time—”

  The words haven’t even left Yellma’s mouth when there’s an explosion like a cannon going off, and I can see the dome of the barrier crumble and collapse.
  From our vantage point, there is a great burst of black feathers, and Lancer is soaring to match blades with Avenger as she turns her sword towards Vienya.

  —Now.
  Open the Magic Circuit, basic substance estimation and analysis, create the framework and expend the power—
  I kick off and run as Lancer’s Lorelei and the black knight’s sword, Exhaust Note, clash together like church bells clanging.
  I take the weight of the plain steel sword in my hand and wrap both hands around the hilt.
  I do not stop to question how it came out.
  I simply believe and move forward—!!

  Distantly, I can hear Rose chasing behind me.
  I rush to put my body between Vienya and the battle.
  —She’s simply lying there.
  Perhaps everything happened too fast and she’s still confused, or perhaps the shock of losing her Servant has rendered her unable to move.
  In any case, I’ll defend her.
  This won’t end like the night before—

  “Stay close to me, and we’ll be alright.
  “We have to cut and run for safety as soon as possible, our home isn’t too far from here…”

  Before me, Lancer and Avenger are trading powerful blows.
  The sound of metal crashing together is heavy and hurts my ears.
  Lancer is presenting me his back, with his wings spread impressively as if to engulf the sky.
  Over his shoulder, Avenger seems the most alert and spirited I have ever seen her.
  Her face is animated, and her lips split in a grin anticipating the battle.

  “You, you’re different from all those other small fries!
  “Finally, I can’t believe after all this time there’s actually another Servant in this war worth fighting…!”
  “—”
  Lancer does not reply, but holds Lorelei level and sweeps in toward her again.
  The two of them are still clashing with great force, but Lancer is applying more strength.
  He seems to be the more powerful of the two, and his blows are starting to make Avenger’s body shake, pushing her back towards the edge of the park.
  —As this is happening, Rose charges across the battlefield.
  Gallantly.
  Her black hair and clothes streaming with her own speed, Rose kicks the ground hard enough to crack the flagstones.
  I can sense the power in her limbs and I know that she’s used her limited knowledge of strengthening to reinforce her own body.
  Yellma turns towards Rose with a blank look as Rose pulls her body low to the ground and lashes out with a sweeping kick.
  —The enemy Master steps back, but Rose springs up with another kick and a fierce shout.
  Yellma continues to dodge and block, but Rose pursues her with magically-reinforced blows.
  I can tell that Rose is especially aiming for Yellma’s hand, the one with the Command Spell on it. It’s a little bloody to go about, but if we can sever Yellma’s hand, she’ll be completely incapacitated as a Master.
  —I may not have to do anything in this fight.
  But as I think that,
  Avenger puts all of her weight into a strike that throws Lancer to the side and tangles his wings in a bush, and runs straight at me.
  “Haaaaaah…!”

  My body reacts without my having to think about it at all.
  My knees bend and my body braces as I swing my sword up to take the blow.

  —Avenger’s strike comes down powerfully.
  It’s, impossibly, strong?!
  I knew that Lancer was holding back, but how can this blow be this strong?!
  I feel like I’m going to be pushed through the stone and buried up to my neck in earth if I let up for even a second…!

  Avenger is so close to me.
  I can see the sweat on her face and am staring right into her eyes.
  Rather than the perverse joy on her face I saw when she attacked Lancer, she is now completely serious.
  As a warrior, she is attacking her enemy’s weakness, even though it will bring her no joy nor reinforce her own pride.
  —Avenger lifts her sword and swings for my side, and I barely manage to block her again.

  “…Good boy. Can you stand the rest, now?”

  Even more, strikes powerful enough to crack my mind.
  I’m sure my sword can’t take much more.
  As soon as I think so, I can hear a splintering sound from the blade.
  —Oh no.
  I can’t let my faith in the image waver any further than this.
  I’ll die if I do, and so will Vienya.
  So I believe.
  I believe and even though it feels like my arms will tear off under this weight—even though my muscles are straining—I believe that Lancer will come to save me if I can hold Avenger off for even a few more minutes…!

  “Not enough—!”
  —Faster than I can see.
  The sword moves faster than I can see, and my own blade shatters and disappears.
  …I see.
  All this time, Avenger was just testing me.
  And now that she knows I’m no match, I’ll be killed—

  My body realizes this, but then I see Lancer appear.
  Like the grace of the gods, Lancer drops down from above and sweeps his spear in a wide arc, catching Avenger squarely in the side and sending her flying.

  —A thick noise as she hits the playground equipment.
  From the vast cloud of dust that erupts, I hear her cough like she’s choking.
  Her silhouette rises from the dust, but Avenger staggers.
  Lancer comes to rest at my side and points his spear at Avenger.
  As if to warn her not to try this ever again.

  “—What are you doing, you worthless Servant!
  “Hurry up and kill them! Kill them now!”

  “What are you damn well talking about!”
  Avenger shouts back to her Master with annoyance.
  “You wanna die? Then go ahead and ignore me, but this guy’s more than I can handle right now! It’s no good unless I fight him completely fresh, and it’s not like you’re doing any better!”

  Rose and Yellma are still fighting.
  Yellma seems able to fend off Rose’s attacks perfectly well, but she hasn’t made one counterattack from what I can tell.

  “—Tch, fine then!
  “But you haven’t seen the last of us. This is the Holy Grail War, after all, there’s no way to avoid your fate now—”

  Avenger disappears.
  Yellma turns her back and runs.
  For a moment it looks like Rose wants to chase her, but all the same it seems as though she knows it’s best not to go off on her own.

  …I sigh and relax.
  My body is shaking.
  I kneel down and turn to Vienya, who is slowly starting to pull herself up.
  …It really must have happened too suddenly for her.
  All of a sudden her Servant is gone, she was going to be killed, and then we appeared out of nowhere to save her.
  Really, it all happened too fast for me too, and it was our plan that saved her.
  “—Well, they’re gone. It’s okay now.”
  I smile to reassure her.
  She stares back at me expressionlessly.
  …That’s right, she can’t speak.
  And she’s staring at me from under her hair, so I can’t see what look she has in her eyes.

  …I feel lightheaded.
  We managed to save the Master, but not the Servant.
  It would have been better if we could have arrived in time to save both of them.

  Even if this is the Holy Grail War.
  Even if this is a ritual where the Servants are the sacrifices in a no-holds-barred battle to claim the prize.

  “Sorry we couldn’t break through in time for Archer.”

  A small hand touches my face.
  I can feel the intensity of her stare.
  Vienya is very close, and in the cold emptiness of the night, the warmth of another person is very reassuring.
  Lancer is close by too, and Rose is a little further away.
  It would feel as if I were swimming in a black sea if they weren’t here.

  “—”
  Up above me, the stars dance dizzily.
  I cannot raise my head, and I cannot stand up.
  My body is as half-empty as my hopes that no lives would be lost tonight—