196 Knighted Fate

It was another night in the city of Fuyuki, and the Black Faction had gathered to set up a patrol around the city. The faction leader, Silva Branwen, divided the Masters and Servants into teams. Team 1 was comprised of Rin Tohsaka, Sakura Matou Branwen, and their respective Servants, Ishtar and Medusa, with the addition of Medea of the Caster Class. Team 2 had Irisveil, her daughter Illyasviel, Artoria of the Saber Class, Frankenstein's Monster, better known as Fran, and Tamamo of the Caster Class. Team 3 was made up of Skadi, Scáthach, and Shuten Douji.

The Black Faction Leader was by himself because he could instantly move to any of the other team's locations to provide support or give them a quick escape in case of emergencies. Silva kept track of everyone's location through his senses as they were spread all across the city via Magic. He did not have much expectation as he had not heard anything from his contacts within the Mage Association about any unusual movements by the Masters of Red. Still, he kept up the patrols just in case.

The Faction Leader yawned as it started to reach midnight and sat down as he ate a late-night snack of junk food near the center of the city. He was starting to seriously consider using Door To Darkness to sneak attack Waver and Lorelei to remove two more Masters and then make an offer of surrender to the remaining Masters of Red since they would be out of three Servants. At least a few Servants need to be offered up to the Holy Grail first before using the same trick he and Skadi used in the previous War to fully manifest the Grail last time.

As Midnight drew closer, he was about to send Sakura and Rin to bed since they had school tomorrow, but suddenly, he picked up something not far from where Team 2 was and grinned as he muttered to himself.

" About time."

***

Irisveil enjoyed walking with her daughter as the night went on but felt a bit guilty that she had not been able to treat Illyasviel's condition in which she was aging more slowly because the Einzbern family wanted her at her peak condition for the Holy Grail War that should have happened 50 years from now instead of the unexpected present. The homunculus woman had a somewhat bitter smile as she recalled the past, and her daughter noticed and asked with concern.

" Mom, what's the matter?"

" It's nothing, Illya. I was just lost in thought, that's all."

" What were you thinking about?"

Irisveil shook her and replied with a sad smile.

" Don't worry, it's fine."

" Is it about father?"

" No, not him."

Before Illyasviel could ask anything further, she picked up on a source of Mana along with her Mother. They looked at one another and called out their Servants from their spiritualized forms before going to investigate. While the Servant could be kept physically summoned indefinitely through the Homunculi System, providing enough Mana, Silva wanted to keep that information quiet for now, as the less the Masters of Red know, the better. They reached the outskirts of the city and saw a lone man, a Master, Kairi Sisigou, with his Servant.

The Servant was clad in demonic-looking silver-colored armor with red accents and said to their Master.

" See, Master. I told you we would get a re-."

The armored Servant's sentence stopped as they looked at their opponents, or more specifically, Artoria. They quietly exclaimed in shock that only their Master could hear them.

" Father..."

" Father? Wait, as in?"

Kairi asked his Servant quietly in mild shock by identifying at least one of the Servants of Black. The Mage looked over and immediately saw that the Servants outnumbered them three to one and muttered a complaint to himself.

" Of course, they're moving in groups."

Irisviel called out to the opposing Master.

" Master of Red, if you are alone, we will give you one chance to surrender and be allowed to leave with your life intact."

Kairi scratched the back of his as he asked with a pragmatic mindset.

" Your terms?"

The Servant of Red ignored the negotiating Masters as they stepped forward and pointed their silver-colored sword at Artoria in silent challenge. Saber of Black then spoke out to her Master.

" Irisviel, if I may?"

" Saber?"

" The Servant in front of us wishes to fight regardless of the fact that they are outnumbered, and I want to meet their challenge."

The homunculus woman looked at her Servant for a few moments, then said, after a thought.

" I suppose it does not matter how we achieve victory, so go ahead, Saber."

Irisveil felt a bit guilty toward Artoria because of how the last Holy Grail War turned out and decided to indulge her Servant. The Saber of Black thanked her Master and went to stand before the opposing Servant to declare.

" Ordinarily, I would give my name, but in the care of this Great Holy Grail War, it would also be giving away a weakness if I did so. So I can only identify myself as Saber of Black!"

" Saber of Red."

The armored Servant replied curtly as they readied their sword to clash. Their Master smiled, feeling helpless at the Servant's choice. Artoria said no more as she raised her sword, hidden by Invisible Air. After a moment, in an instant, they clashed at breakneck speed. The two Sabers' weapons ground against each other in a brief contest of strength before the Saber of Red decided to kick at Artoria's legs, but she evaded to the side as she eased off her opponent's sword and slashed at them.

The fully armored Servant blocked with the pommel of their weapon, then gripped the invisible weapon with their gauntleted hand. They pulled it to the side and tried to swipe at Artoria, but she unleashed a blast of wind through Invisible Air and knocked away her opponent. The Saber of Black charged at the staggered Saber of Red and swung her weapon at them but was met with the silver-colored sword of the fully armored Servant. As the two clashed, Artoria asked with confusion.

" Do I know you? For some reason, you feel familiar to me, but I can't think of who."

The Saber of Red ignored the question as they tried to push away the Saber of Black. Their fight soon devolved into a clash of swords, aiming to take one another's life. Artoria fought with technique and experience. The fully armored Servant was ferocious and also mixed in punches and kicks to try and dominate the fight, but to no avail, as the Saber of Black was slowly but surely gaining the upper hand. Illyasviel asked her mother, as even she could tell the Saber of Red was going to lose.

" Mom, should I go ahead and send in Berserker to end this farce?"

" It's fine, Illya; let Saber have her fun."

The half-homunculus girl let out an exasperated breath as she was quickly growing bored and then had an idea. She decided to call Silva and give the opposing Mage a scare.