Second Third Night

In Emiya residence.

Shirou stood by Sakura's side with Saber as he anxiously waited for her to wake up.

"A servant is approaching, Shirou."

Then Saber got up and walked out the house as she felt the approach of a servant and prepared herself for a combat but then relaxed as she saw that the incomers weren't enemies.

"Saber, where is Sakura." Rin asked anxiously as she was let go by Evander.

"Sakura? She is inside resting. She lost consciousness and Shirou is staying with her." Saber replied as she tilted her head.

"Archer, let's go." Rin walked past Saber and marched into the house.

Saber gave a questioning look at Evander, who shook his head as if he was saying 'don't ask.'

Saber who got the message nodded and followed them inside.

***

"Sakura!" Rin shouted as she rushed to Sakura but then stopped so as not to harm her unintentionally.

She was heartbroken seeing her sister in such a condition but crying was never her solution. "Archer." She looked at Evander with a resolute expression.

"Leave it to me Rin." Evander nodded and walked closer to Sakura and then stopped a few steps away. A gust of wind flowed in the room. "I'm not gonna hurt her." He said as he looked at empty air by Sakura's side.

Saber who also felt the arrival of the unknown servant readied herself for battle by grabbing the hilt of her invisible sword.

A woman with long purple hair and a blindfold over her eyes materialized by Sakura's side. She had two daggers connected at the end with a long chain in her hand.

She first assessed the situation but stood motionless.

"A clash would result in the death of every master here. It's unnecessary. I'm only trying to help her." Evander said placatingly.

Rider also reached the same conclusion besides she was also outnumbered by two to one. She could take Sakura and run away but if one of the servants before her were an Archer, that would put Sakura in danger.

So, the only thing she could do was to hope that the man before her would keep his word and doesn't harm Sakura.

"I'll take your word for it." She finally said much to the relief of Rin and Shirou.

"Don't worry. I'm a man of my word." Evander said as he finally stood by Sakura and stretched his hand by his side. "I am the bone of my sword." He chanted as blue sparks erupted out of his hand and a staff took shape.

'Caster?' Rider thought.

Then Evander pointed the tip of the staff towards Sakura. "Pain Breaker." With his words, the staff lit and shone down on Sakura, returning all the wounds left behind by the means of magecraft to zero.

Pale visage of Sakura soon took a rosy complexion. Her nerves were connected once again and her body functions returned to normal. But she didn't wake up.

"It's done Rin." Evander said as he dismissed the staff.

"Why isn't she waking up then?" Rin asked as she also checked Sakura for any remaining injuries but couldn't find anything.

Evander shrugged his shoulders, "She will wake up once it is time." Then turned to purple haired servant who was watching them intently. Her eyes were blindfolded but Evander was sure that she was capable of seeing them. "Servant Archer." He said.

Rider squinted her eyes. 'Archer…?' She thought. She was more inclined to believe the servant before her was Caster but she couldn't be sure. "…Rider." She said and switched to her incorporeal form to stay by Sakura's side and protect her.

'Sakura was one of the master…huh.' Rin thought as she turned back as she made sure that Sakura was safe. "Let's go Emiya."

"Huh? To where?" Shirou replied.

"To register you as one of the masters."

***

Saber had donned a simple raincoat over her battle dress to avoid gathering attention since she couldn't shift to her incorporeal form, and Evander instead of shifting to incorporeal form, dismissed his armor.

Rin did as she promised and found clothes suitable for Evander from her father's belongings.

A black shirt over a sleeveless white undershirt together with black pants and boots. He also had glasses just for accessory and he thought that they made him cooler.

As the quartet was walking, they finally came upon a church.

Saber looked ahead as if she remembered some memories. "I will stay here master." She said.

Evander looked at her and then turned to Rin. "I will stay here as well. You do your thing."

"We'll be right back." Rin nodded and took Shirou to meet the overseer of the Fifth Holy Grail War, Kirei Kotomine.

***

"Got something on your mind?" Evander asked as he crossed his arms and rested his back to the gates of the church.

"…No, I don't." Saber replied as she shook her head.

"I see." Evander nodded, then continued. "Hey Saber, if and I mean a big if, you win the war, what will you wish from the grail?"

'What will I wish…huh.' Saber thought and remained silent for a bit. "I-!" But as she opened her mouth, a child with long white hair and red eyes walked calmly towards them.

But what drew their attention was the lump of monstrous magical energy beside her. 'A servant. And a powerful one at that.' Evander thought and Saber was also of the same opinion as she tensed her body.

But the white haired girl didn't do anything an just smiled at them. 'What a cute kid. A shame she got swept up in the war.' Evander thought.

And a few moments later, Rin and Shirou came out of the church.

After they crossed the gates, they finally saw the uninvited guest.

The white haired girl lifted her skirt up and gave a curtsy bow. "Good evening. My name is Illyasviel Von Einzbern." She said with a childish but calm voice.

"Einzbern?" Rin asked aloud as she looked at Evander.

"And I am here to kill you all." Illya said with a smile on her face as a monstrosity easily towering over Evander appeared right next to her. "Go Berserker!" Illya shouted.

*Roar!*

Berserker roared and charged towards Evander and the group.

Saber was the first one to rush against their assailant. Evander stood in the back because of a mental command from Rin.

'Archer stay back for a bit. Let's see how Saber handles herself first.' Rin said through their mental communication.

She was planning on offering them a partnership for the war but she wanted to see the prowess of Saber servant first.

She knew that her Archer was strong and if Saber wasn't up to her standard, offering a partnership would be meaningless.

The trio watched as Saber, a girl who was not even half the size of her opponent, exchanged blows with Berserker, much to Shirou's anxiousness.

"Yes! Behead her first then violate her!" Illya shouted excitedly.

'Ayo what?' Evander thought as he looked at the little master of Berserker who reveled in Saber's agony. 'Mages, man. They are all weird.'

With every blow, Saber was barely able to defend herself. It was obvious who would win in the exchange.

Evander meanwhile didn't take his eyes of the axe-sword in Berserker's hand. 'Huh. That might come in handy.' He thought as he learned everything to know about Berserker, even his technique which he developed through his heroics.

*Boom!*

"Gah!"

And it was at this time that Saber took a heavy blow and was wounded seriously.

She tried to get up by supporting herself with her invisible sword but she was too slow as Berserker was about to finish her off.

Shirou was in a dilemma. He wanted to save Saber, but also couldn't throw his life away easily because he had to be there for Sakura. He hesitated. He didn't want Saber to die, but he also didn't want to die. Thankfully, someone else entered the fray in his stead.

"Archer!" Rin shouted as she watched the back of her servant as he rushed ahead.

"I am the bone of my sword." Evander said as his trusted swords Kanshou and Bakuya materialized in his hands.

He stood before Saber as he parried Berserker's blow. 'Ugh. Heavy!' He thought. "Steel is my body and fire is my heart." With the second line of his aria, five swords materialized around him and shot towards Berserker's face.

*Boom!*

"Uoh!" Berserker grunted as he backed away a little.

"Oh wow, you pack quite a punch. Ebony Warrior would have liked to exchange blows with you." Evander said as his arms ached from blocking Berserker's attack.

"Archer…? Why?" Saber asked as she slowly got up and looked at the back of Evander.

"No time for questions Saber, get ready." Evander replied hastily as he clashed blades once again with Berserker.

*Boom!*

"Guh!" He was thrown back but he didn't forget to stop the advance of Berserker by firing a couple more swords.

'Archer! What are you doing?!!' Rin was angry because he disobeyed her orders and protected Saber. The best thing to do was to leave the area here since they were fighting quite in the open. And she couldn't understand why Archer would rush to protect an enemy servant, and a woman at that. That made an irritating feeling rise up within her.

His reason for saving Saber was actually mixed. Even though he had a favorable impression of Saber, it didn't warrant him to save her blindly. This was a war, and at core, they were enemies who would fight for the prize. No, the main reason was; even though he was confident that he could kill Berserker on his own, that would require him a lot fire power which Rin by herself might not be able to sustain.

Berserker's true name was Heracles and he could revive 12 time in total. But it didn't end there. Berserker had an absurd toughness which made weaker Noble Phantasms pretty much useless against him, and that meant he had to use the stronger ones. But it didn't end there, each time Berserker revived, he would be immune to whatever killed it. And that meant he couldn't use a single Noble Phantasm to kill him more than once.

And as said previously, since he had to use stronger Noble Phantasms, Rin might not be able to bear the burden of the cost.

That's where Saber came in. Since she was the only servant he had a favorable impression of, she could help him reduce the burden. And besides, she didn't look the type to like owing someone so he felt like he could trust her on that front. And he transmitted his thoughts to Rin who felt a little relieved much to her confusion.

Saber was barely standing by using her sword as a cane as she watched Evander clash with that monstrosity of a servant. She couldn't heal her injuries because she almost got no mana from her master, Shirou since he didn't know how to supply her.

She gripped her sword tighter as she blamed herself for her weakness. But then, one of the swords shooting towards Berserker made a turn and shot towards Saber.

"Return to zero—Glamdring." Evander's voice echoed in her ears and because she couldn't dodge, the sword made contact with her body.

Instantly, her wounds recovered. She marveled upon seeing this phenomenon. 'How many Noble Phantasms does he have?' She thought.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Before you say anything that even normal Archer was able to kill Berserker six times before dying and Caliburn killed him seven times with a single attack, I want to say that's bullshit!

Heracles (strongest servant but in name only in any of the fate series) should be much stronger than that. I'll correct that. Caliburn killed him seven times? No. It will only kill him once if the blast can catch him. They didn't do any justice to ma boi Heracles.

Heck even Shirou killed him seven times!! Why?!! Because he was faster?! Servant parameters can go to shit then if a human can attack faster than them!!

Anyways that's just me ranting, let me know your thoughts will ya? Also comments, stones and reviews are much appreciated!!