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It was dead silent in the Throne Room.
On the grand throne that was laden with plush red silk, fitted inside a gloriously gilded frame, Emperor Nero was seated. Still and silent, her face was uncharacteristically creased in genuine trepidation.
Resting against the shallow set of stairs that led to the throne was Tamamo, her arms leaning against the top most crimson robed step. Her amber eyes closed, yet equally as disturbed as her Saber rival. Every so often her beautifully groomed ears, a slightly darker hue than her eyes, would twitch as her heart raced in fearful contemplation.
Nameless leaned against a stone column, his arms crossed and eyes shut as if he were resting. His trademark pose, it was a sign that while he was in the room, he couldn't care less about the politics that dwelled within it. However if you were to look closer you would notice that his muscles were tense, and his eyes were screwed shut in an attempt to sense for the slightest change in the atmosphere. Being against the column, it hid the small beads of sweat rolling down the back of his neck.
To put it lightly; the tension was palpable.
'How long must we wait before we can retrieve my Praetor?' Nero begged, slicing her bladed words through the silent atmosphere.
'It's been almost an hour... and nothing has changed...' Tamamo muttered, opening her eyes, reflecting an animalistic instinct.
Nameless sighed, if but a little shaken like. 'We agreed to let the Master take the reins on this talk. He may be... intimidating, but he is a Great King– he should see reason.'
'HE. IS. A. BERSERKER. NAMELESS!' Nero shouted; all efforts for her false calm demeanour scattered to the air. Tamamo grimaced, her ears twitching violently now.
Darius III– the Ancient Persian King. The Conqueror's Obstructing Storm.
Once he was a mighty and benevolent King; turned domineering Warlord in response to the invading Macedonian Conqueror, Iskandar. He, and the great army he commanded fought furiously against the tyrant King many times. Though he was defeated time and time again, his everlasting determination and dominating willpower earned him the adoration of his tyrannical opponent; and was forever recorded the in pages of history.
In the battle against Rex Magnus, Darius III was summoned to the battlefield in opposition of the Moon Cell's Master, Hakuno. It was gruelling enough to oppose him, but in the form of a Berserker, all evidence of rational humanity had been scrubbed from his sense of self. He and his ghostly warriors left them bruised and battered– but Hakuno's determination matched his own and it saw them through the long fight.
Perhaps that was why, earlier that morning, Berserker had placed himself in front of the gates of Rome – with his army of the dead, ten thousand strong, in full view. Resummoned by the Moon Cell, he terrified the Roman citizens back into their homes; the NPC soldiers could have poofed back into data bits from the mere sight of Darius' towering physique.
However, when the Master's Servants rushed to intercept him, he stood silent yet firm. Never initiating a single threat (if you didn't count his appearance), he waited patiently for the little Master to meet him.
In the command room, the door directly opposite to the Throne Room, Master Hakuno and Darius III were discussing the means to a "temporary alliance"... hopefully. But all was damnably quiet; either Hakuno was doing an unnaturally terrific job of placating the Berserker, or...
'Come to think of it, Darius has always been... quieter than other Berserkers we've dealt with,' Tamamo said.
'I guess– compared to Lancelot, he is more passive in his approaches,' Archer said. 'He looks to be more in control of his crazed fighting spirit, but his stand offs against the King of Conquerors begs otherwise.'
'But he's far less trustworthy than my faithful Lu Bu.' Tamamo confidently smiled to herself, ' My loyal comrade has always lent an ear to my troubles!'
'That's only because he wants to get close enough to rip your pelt clean off!' Nero exclaimed, while Archer groaned– Caster was always in a daydream when talking to Lu Bu; she might as well have been making up conversations with a brick wall. A murderous brick wall.
'Can you still not see the intent for bloodlust in his eyes, woman!?' Nero yelled.
Nero reading Lu's facial expressions was equally baffling; but at least it hit the mark.
'Gah! Is that true?!'
'Lu Bu, whose aptitude for betrayal matches his martial experience– put two and two together would you?' Archer reprimanded.
The room was silent again.
Lancelot, the crazed Berserker whose movements were impossible to telegraph, and even more violently so when the King of Knights was present; and Lu Bu, the Flying General Berserker, who will take advantage of every opportunity to obliterate those he calls his "comrades," in a bloody Coup d'état.
Darius would only be following his Classes' tradition if he were to do something similar.
The thought wasn't lost on Nero. Her hands clutched both arms of the throne, strangling the lion heads carved into its sides.
'GAH I WON'T BEAR THIS ANYMORE!' she yelled, leaping from her throne.
Nameless grabbed a hold of her. 'Stand down Emperor! We can sense she's not feeling in danger yet!'
'SHE'S TOO STUBBORN TO ADMIT THAT– UNHAND ME THIS INSTANT!'
'Hah! Lost sight of the Mongrel have you? As expected of such mediocre Servants!'
Tamamo jumped up off the stairs as both Nero and Nameless turned to face–
'Gilgamesh!'
The golden haired King, dressed in only the most luxurious of Sumerian robes, was now relaxing on the finest furniture in the room– Nero's throne.
'GET OFF MY THRONE YOU FIEND! NONE OTHER THAN MY PRAETOR MAY SIT THERE!' Nero continued to yell frantically. She would incur one of her famous headaches at this rate– although maybe that was the A.U.O's intention.
'Indeed! You are like a cat, stealing his owner's warm seat on the couch the moment they stand up!' Tamamo exclaimed.
Ignoring Nero and Tamamo, Gilgamesh took hold of a wine goblet that materialised from his gates.
'So it seems the beast who calls himself "King" has taken to holding the Mongrel Master hostage. Hah! She always gets herself in the most troublesome of positions. Truly she's the finest jester I have ever claimed.' Gilgamesh mused aloud to himself as he drank deeply from his goblet.
'So you decided to get front row tickets to the show?' Nameless sneered, still desperately grappling the Emperor to stop her from turning Berserker herself.
'What am I, Faker, if not that Mongrel's Second in Command? To see her attempt dialogue with the so called King after my time is commendable, but most laughable. It seems her lacklustre regard for her own life is as meaningless as ever.'
That comment was enough to throw the Goddess Tamamo no Mae on the same path as Nero. She lunged desperately in her Husband's direction. Archer now had his work cut out for him, wrestling the two Servants in vain to keep them both from crashing the Master's meeting.
'Was that your intention here?! *Oof!* To throw everything into chaos?!' Nameless grunted, now being forcibly dragged along by the two Servants.
The King of Heroes responded with a bellow of laughter.
That was when the doors of the Command Room opened wide.
'... Oh yeah? I never tried that before.' The Master of the Moon Cell walked side by side with the hulking Berserker, her entire body engulfed in his shadow. Her neck was craned to almost look at the ceiling in order to meet the Persian King's piercing gaze.
'...'
'Really? That'd be awesome!' Hakuno replied enthusiastically to Darius' silent comment.
'Oh, hey guys, have you been out here all this time? Eh– Gilgamesh?! You're here too?!'
The Throne room fell silent yet again. Tamamo and Nero stopped struggling as Nameless attempted to regain some composure. Even the King of Heroes was at a loss for words.
'...'
'Ok, I'll see you then!' Hakuno replied. Berserker's giant fist curled up tightly... and gave Hakuno's tiny hand a fist bump.
'!!!' The entire room gasped. Darius's formidable presence disappeared.
'... Praetor? Are you... alright?' Nero stuttered. Hakuno looked to her three Servants and cocked her head slightly.
'Hmm? Why wouldn't I be?'
'My Husband... did you... sort things out with Berserker?' Tamamo asked timidly.
Hakuno's hazel brown eyes lit up. 'Oh the Persian King? Yeah... he's a really cool guy!'
As her Servants straightened themselves up, Archer asked, 'So avoiding the obvious question– I take it that means you settled matters with Darius?'
Hakuno replied casually, 'yeah, we just chatted a bunch, about how he's liking SE.RA.PH so far; he gave me a few tips on how to form defensive lines– he's so cool!'
Nero beamed, all surety and grace returned to her being.
'Praetor! Truly your skills in diplomacy far outshine anyone else on the Moon!'
Gilgamesh snorted.
'Yes that was... unexpected. Well done, Master,' Nameless said. The matter could not have gone smoother.
'That's how my Husband is– I wasn't worried for a second!' Tamamo said.
More snorts were heard.
'Yeah, who knew? We uh... we actually have a lot in common' Hakuno said.
'Mongrel! Just how are you two alike?' Gilgamesh finally snapped. Hakuno just met his snide expression and smiled.
'Well I gotta go– Darius said he'd give me a ride on his War Elephant. I'll see you for dinner yeah?' Hakuno said before running off.
'Wha–Praetor!'
'My Darling!'
They bounded off after their Master. Nameless decided that Rome couldn't handle such an event and pursued after the three.
All the while Gilgamesh was left pondering how his first class entertainment reached such a conclusion.
'Insolent fool. Such like her magnetism for dangerous women– I wonder if her charisma has reached EX rank for dangerous Kings as well.' He drank deep from his goblet in contemplation before dematerialising as quickly as he appeared.