Chapter Text
AN: Hello, and welcome back to the Requiem of Fate. This entire story has been separated from Fate Type-Infinite Loops both due to it's sheer length, as well as the fact it's one single story. It is also being cut into more manageable chapters, rather than the extreme length I had been putting them at previously.
To those who care about the Infinite Loops Project, this story is Canon to that continuity. This is the Fate/Grand Order Activation Loop. Of course, it isn't required to understand and enjoy the Infinite Loops, but I recommend it, as it does set-up some of how the Grand Order Loops work.
Of course, I don't own anything here. But, let the story begin anew.
The Infinite Loops Project Presents
Requiem of Fate: The Grand Order
Chapter 1: The Burning City.
Adminspace
Skuld, head debugger of Yggdrasil, looked over the report with a rather great deal of trepidation… "Why has no one brought this to my attention before?"
The one who had brought the report, an oft forgotten god from the distant past, Manu frowned. "We only discovered this due to, well due to Hecate collapsing. She's in medical right now. It seems-"
"She was overworking herself again… why has she been trying to keep this going?" Skuld questioned as she read the report. "Sure, they're all part of the same Branch as separate timelines, but… Shirou Emiya has only the most nebulous of connections to most of these Loops. I'm surprised we haven't lost them yet," she frowned at that, before looking at Manu. "Who's watching the Nasuverse right now?"
"I believe Odin decided to take action when he heard of this. I saw him practically rushing for the door when he heard Hecate had collapsed." Manu muttered, and Skuld frowned.
"Odd… he's got the Fantasy Loops, what's so concerning about this Branch in particular…" she shook her head. "Doesn't matter, Manu, I need to know something?"
Manu raised an eyebrow. The Chaldean God of Fate already knew where this was going and Skuld started her offer.
"This, to put it mildly, is a complete mess. Hecate is already watching over so many Branches, and this one is far away from the Nintendo Branch. I'm overing the Nasu Branch on standby while you figure out how to fix this mess, starting with the new main Branch?"
"You are referring to the Grand Order, which has massively overtaken the original Branch." Manu muttered, thinking back to some Hub documentation he'd looked at before, indeed twas fate.
"Yeah, we'll get around to the other offshoots later. I'm authorizing sending the Loopers and Anchor on travel until this mess is sorted out." Skuld ordered, and Manu nodded, "If you get this to work without losing anything, congratulations on your promotion."
"I certainly believe I can," Manu offered the goddess of the future. Now, there was work to be done.
Ritsuka
Ristuka Fujimaru certainly believed he'd seen it all before… Of course in his many adventures, he'd faced off with gods and myths, traveled through time to various locales. He'd been trapped in a time loop, brought into a dream of another war for the grail, heck, he'd even technically been a woman once. He'd met and worked with people from history and myth, grew to knew them as friends and partners. He'd lost many in the pursuit of bringing back humanity's future.
But here he, or rather, she was, surrounded by flames. Fuyuki, the place that started it all. Singularity F, the Accel Zero mission. The origin of the Holy Grail War. After facing off with Fairies, and the queen of Fairy Britain… Here Ritsuka Fujimaru was once again.
And for some reason he was now a girl. "This is… new," she muttered, before holding her head… memories reaserting themselves… fragments of the past… wow Mnemosyne had done a number on her back then… But then there were the new memories. Memories of a little girl, who'd come to Chaldea now…
Come was a strong word, more like kidnapped but who was she to complain. She looked forward, and before her stood Mash, her beloved friend, his partner, fighting off a trio of skeletons. Instinct honed by hundreds of battles and dozens of missions kicked in. "Mash, left!" she ordered, snapping her fingers. She recognized her old uniform, the spells within. An Instant Enhancement had Mash, raise her head as she smashed one skeleton to powder, and then followed up with slamming her shield, very ungracefully, into the last one standing, sending it flying before it shattered to a pile of bones.
"Thanks Senpai!" Mash, she said, a sad smile on her face. Before she looked down at herself. "I had my worries but we made it somehow." Ritsuka looked Mash over, taking in the sight of her old combat outfit. The power of Galahad still clearly flowed through her, at least now. But it was untapped.
She could only infer that perhaps she really had gone back in time. Which and not by Rayshift like she usually did. "Are you hurt Senpai? Does your stomach hurt, or does it feel heavy?" Mash asked her.
"I feel pretty good Mash, thanks." she said, just responding with a smile. Gosh, Fuyuki had been so long ago, she only really recalled the broad strokes. Mnemosyne playing with her memories that one time had not helped that mess… "You did really good Mash." She said, offering encouragement to her friend. She didn't… seem to remember.
That was fine. Mash was her friend, no matter what. They'd been through thick and thin together… She'd make new memories. Saint George had said that memories were perhaps the greatest gift of life, or perhaps she was recalling it wrong. The saint had loved his photography, that was for sure.
"You… you think so Senpai?" Mash questioned, blush red as Ritsuka chuckled and put her hands behind her head.
"Yeah, and you're only gonna get better." She offered, and Mash just returned the smile.
It was only a few moments later, the thing that she'd forgotten arrived, something she didn't watch to confront, just yet.
"Right, I finally got through! Hello? This is the Chaldea Command Room? Do you read me?" Oh she did, she heard him, and saw the hologram loud and clear.
And she could not stop the tears at the sight of the good doctor, Roman…
"This is Mash Kyrielight, a member of A Team. At this time I've completed the shift to Singularity F. My sole companion is Ritsuka. Mind and body both intact." Mash responded to him… she just kept quiet, trying to hide the tears.
She'd missed Roman… and 'the Chaldean' was no replacement for him. Their goofy doctor, and her boss. Mash was still reciting, but… she'd tuned her out. Just, trying to process what was going on. She'd been through a lot… but there was one thing she knew.
She'd been given a second chance.
Roman was alive, and he was safe. But that meant here, there was one other person. Olga Marie.
Someone she knew was little more than a ghost, a soul that had formed a body around it.
Someone she had to try and save.
As Roman chastised his daughter over her current outfit of choice, and Mash rebuttulled with having him check her status, Ritsuka looked towards the flames. She held her hands together, looking down at the command seals on the back of her hand. They were different from the previous set she'd held… the first time around she supposed.
As Mash and Roman's conversation came to speaking of Mash's unknown Heroic Spirit… she kept quiet. She knew who was within Mash. Galahad, a Knight of the Round. But… she kept that quiet. This was something Mash had to learn herself, Holmes' observations of 'it was obvious' be damned.
"Ritsuka," Roman calling out to her brought her out of her thoughts, and she turned towards them both. She steeled herself, prepared for what may come. "It looks like you're the only one who Rayshifted there safely. Also, I am sorry. Forcing you into this without any explanation."
"It's fine Doctor, we'll make it work," she said, nodding to Mash, the shy, timit girl of the past looking surprised, before nodding alongside her.
"Well, you seem ready to go, don't you. Good, keep that confidence. And know that you've already got a powerful weapon. Humanity's most powerful weapon, Mash." Roman said, smiling as Mash blushed at the praise from the doctor.
"I-I don't know about most 'most powerful.' I'm the one who gets blamed later." Mash muttered and Roman laughed. Ritsuka just… she smiled.
"Now, now, as long as Ritsuka understands that's what a Servant is, it'll be fine." Roman stated, and Ritsuka started thinking about that.
Servants… were far more than weapons. They were people. And so many of them are her friends. She'd met them, bonded with them. Helped them find solace, or peace, or just treasure. She'd helped them grow stronger, forging legends beyond their original. After all, Astolfo never visited El Dorado before to face off with Hercules, nor had Henri Sanson given his life to save a little girl in the town of Salem. Those were legends of Chaldea.
They were her memories of her friends.
"I know what Servants are Doctor Roman." She said with confidence. She was a mage who specialized in summoning Servants, commanding them… and being friends with them. She'd made friendships that would last a lifetime. Perhaps beyond that as well if what some had said held merit.
"Oh, good, so you're aware of your contract with Mash?" he asked, and she smiled.
"Yep," Ritsuka held up her command seals, her proof of contract, something she'd used on servants, and even herself once.
"Alright, good. She's your first Heroic Spirit, and hopefully won't be the last. Now, the current mission has two new goals." he said, his voice going more crackled as the connection started to fray.
"Doctor, you're break up. Ten seconds until the connection is lost." Mash pointed out, and Roman sighed.
"Huh, so Sheba's output is unstable because we switched to the backup generators? Oh well, I'll brief you later. Both of you, I'm getting a strong leyline reading about two kilometers from where you are. Try to get their somehow. That way, it will stabilize our connection. Listen don't do anything reckless, will you? I'll try to bring the power back up as soon as-" He just started belting out words at high speed, until the connection finally cut, leaving her and Mash alone amid a flaming city once more.
"I suppose it can't be helped… Let's get going Mash," Ritsuka said, starting to walk, before turning and offering her hand to her friend. Her old, new friend.
Mash just beamed as she reached out to take her hand. "Right, Senpai… you're so dependable, and brave."
"Mash I'm terrified, but we have to keep moving forward," she said, never dropping her smile. She had to keep that brave face up. She wasn't one to laugh in danger's face… but to smile at it? To show that she could stand up to it despite her fears?
Mash just… smiled to her, as Fou jumped onto the pinkette's shoulders. Ritsuka just smiled at the little critter, as she and Mash looked towards their path through a burning city. Holding hands.
The girl who remembered the future, Humanity's Last Master. And the Demi-Servant, the girl who became a Servant, humanity's great protector.
Together they walked forward, towards the future once more.
Adminspace
Manu was calm as he walked into the office, and only barely raised an eyebrow at the sight of the Allfather typing away rather furiously at the keyboard.
"Odin?" Manu started, walking towards the terminal. The one eyed god only looked to him for a moment before huffing.
"Good, you're back, we have a problem." Odin started, straight and too the point.
"What else is new?" Manu jested as Odin nodded towards the terminal, allowing Manu to see what was going on.
"Looper activation? Already?" Manu questioned, Odin standing up and allowing the Chaldean God to take the seat, before looking at the terminal.
"I looked through the code of the loop just before it started, in case Hecate missed something. She did," he pointed out, and to that, Manu looked towards said code.
"...That's the very beginning of the Loop." He muttered, already looking it over. "Oh… that's not good."
Odin just nodded. "That's why I took the liberty of activating the one Looping candidate I had authority over. Even better, he's already inside that mess. And well… look."
Manu looked, and just… stared. The loop had been activated… just as an expansion had come. He reached for his chin… oh dear lord that code was messed up. Just how had this gotten out of hand so badly?
"Who's the Looper, and how the heck is he going to help this mess?" Manu started, and Odin just huffed.
"You'll see. Now, all we can do is hope things don't go too far… at the very least, it will be an interesting first loop, no?"
"Here hoping we don't have a repeat of the Megaman Branch." Manu muttered, and Odin raised his head.
"Have some faith, Manu. If you're going to be an Admin, you'll need it when it comes to your Anchor." Odin advised.
And like that, they both fell silent, to watch, and wait. And hope that things would turn out alright.
Caster
'Really Odin! Now you're dumping all this on me?' Cú Chulainn thought to himself as he dodged another dagger. He grit his teeth as the black Servant kept to the shadows. He'd had a lot of time to sort through his memories, or the additional power that he was packing from the future, having been thrust straight into battle from the word go.
He wasn't sure who the Assassin was yet, but he knew damn well it wasn't Cursed Arm like the first time around. He grit his teeth, before slamming his staff into the ground, a gust of wind appearing around him as the storm of daggers from all directions was flung into the air.
That settled it, only one it could be. "Ansuz!" he ordered, a circle of flame appearing around him, before spreading out. He saw several shadows leaping around, yep, just who he expected now. Hundred Face.
Well, he was pretty good at fighting armies, so this should be a cakewalk.
Deciding to go on the offensive, he lit his staff ablaze, rushing towards a figure and ducking under its' attempt to stab him. He pierced the shadow, lighting it ablaze before spinning his staff around and firing an array of flames at a building. The building burned, the rune of fire building straight though stone, and through his targets. He spun around, ducking under a massive fist before kicking off the large assassin, following up with a root summoned directly from below, ripping through the giant's chest.
Three assassins tried to jump him, before he snapped his fingers, two wolves appearing before leaping forth, tackling two of the assassins and ripping out their throats as he turned his staff into a javelin of light, throwing it straight through the third, and then catching it as it returned, spinning it around and throwing it at another he just barely caught sight of.
He had some time, but not a lot of it.
He had to eliminate all one hundred assassins before he could meet up with the Chaldeans. A time consuming task at the best of times. And he didn't have time.
He threw out several runes, looking around before sighing. "Well, I guess there ain't no choice…" he muttered, before leaping forward, into a building and grabbing an Assassin by the neck, immolating them with a rune of fire from his palm. He tossed the body aside and spun around as an assassin tried to plant a dagger in his back, only for him to put his staff head to their chest. He smirked, and then blasted them through the chest with a gout of fire.
One more, a purple haired girl, the 'main body' as his memories told from interactions in Chaldea. He snapped his fingers, rather than rushing forward, the hand of the Wicker Man sprouting up and grabbing her by the leg as she tried to jump away from the flames. With that one moment he lit his staff ablaze again and rushed forward, jabbing it straight through her skull.
He dismissed the Wicker Man as she fell, dissolving into blue as he huffed, and looked around, he then leapt from the building. He had somewhere to be.
Ritsuka
Ritsuka was running, alongside Mash and Olga, panting as they were running, with Romani's warning for them to get away. Mash was explaining the situation, Fuyuki 2004, sight of a Holy Grail War.
"But the conclusion of those events isn't recorded. Did the ritual succeed? Or did it fail? Whatever did happen, the Servants actions ended without anyone knowing about them, that's all we know." Mash recited, and Ritsuka muttered.
"Ah come on, that makes no sense," she muttered. She damn well knew who won the 2004 grail war… at least she thought she did. Then Fou started squeaking, and Mash came to a stop, and Ritsuka skid to one as well, alongside Olga… they watched as chains manifested… this wasn't anything like last time.
"Chains?" Ritsuka muttered, but didn't dare venture closer… and then the voice spoke. A woman's voice.
"Too bad… fresh prey managed to slither away," She looked up, alongside Mash and Olga, towards the voice as the Servant revealed themselves. Ritsuka gasped at the sight. A tall woman in a cloak, purple hair… and a familiar scythe at her side.
Medusa, but not the normal Medusa Lancer she remembered from Babylonia
"A Servant and Master I've never seen before… oh my, how young and fresh they are," the woman, Medusa Lancer she assumed. Mash ran forward, hefting her shield.
"There's the Servant, but I don't see her Master anywhere," Mash observed, and Olga scoffed as she raised her finger, ready to fire an Gandr.
"Don't forget, this is a world gone mad. A Servant without a Master shouldn't be too surprised," Olga retorted as Ritsuka raised her hand, ready to cast either Instant Enhancement or Emergency Evasion as needed. Fou stared down the Servant as well as she went up to a statue… a frozen stone boy screaming in agony, hair like seaweed turned to rock.
"Those are people…" Ritsuka muttered, taking a step back, wary of Medusa's Mystic Eyes… and she looked around… an entire courtyard of dozens of people, turned to statues. She gulped, this Medusa wasn't playing around… like Gorgon. "Why did you do this?"
"You don't approve?" Medusa asked, standing up taller as she laid a clawed hand across the statue's face, using it as a rest for her arm. "As I see it, if you carelessly wander into my hunting grounds… I'm free to treat you… as I please!" She said, smiling as she ripped the statue's head off.
Blood sprayed everywhere, causing Ritsuka to blach in disgust as the head clattered to the ground nearby and shattered… she swore she'd seen that person before… that honestly just made it worse. "Aw… don't worry. I may have lost one statue… but soon I'll have three new ones to add to my collection…" she said with a giggle, licking the blood off her face, even as it dripped and drained from her cloak.
"The only thing to do is fight," Mash started, and Ritsuka looked between her, and Medusa.
"Are you sure?" she asked, concerned just how big the difference in power was… she knew how Medusa worked. Blood was an energy source, she hadn't just decapitated that statue to unnerve them, she'd done it to recharge her magical energy, hence why she had absorbed the blood.
"Can you take her?" Olga asked, raising her finger away, but still ready to shoot off a Gandr at a moment's notice as Mash started to inch forward.
"I can." Mash declared, and Medusa chuckled.
"Ooh? How very bold and fresh," Medusa posited and chuckled as she stepped forward. "This wouldn't happen to be your first time fighting as a Servant would it?" Mash grimaced, and Ritsuka gripped her hand. "Well then, let the veteran give you some advice!" She spun Harpe around threateningly, ending by turning the blade towards Mash. "Be careful what you say and do, for once you say the word 'fight', the battle before you has already begun!" she leapt forward, vanishing into thin air and reappearing in front of Mash, Harpe raised. Mash raised her shield to meet the blade, scythe clashed with the shield as dust went flying from the impact alone.
Ritsuka grabbed Olga and moved away as Medusa kept up a relentless assault on Mash's guard, unable to attack back… or perhaps unwilling. "You're desperate? Excellent!" Medusa screamed as Mash stuttered.
"Watch out! That Scythe is Harpe!" Ritsuka shouted, deciding now was not the time to keep quiet on what knowledge she held. "If she hits you, it's not going to heal!" Ritsuka alerted Mash, which only had her holding up her guard further.
"How did you?" Olga questioned, since she herself hadn't figured it out, and Ritsuka looked towards her.
"I'm a bit of a mythology buff ok? I've figured out who she is… that's Medusa, fairly obvious from the stone statues, but the scythe is Harpe, the immortal breaker," she said, delivering a bit of exposition to the director for once. She wasn't sure what was up with the chains though, she'd never thought to ask Ana about that.
"I'm flattered, little girl, that you recognized me so easily." Medusa gave in slight surprise, as she continued to assault Mash, taking a swing for Mash's head around the massive shield.
But she missed, barely, and Mash retorted by ramming Medusa head on. She leapt away, landing atop the wall of chains she'd set up between a pair of lampposts as a trap. "Well, your Servant is a bit too fresh. It grates on my nerves." Medusa chuckled as she pulled her hair out from her hood, chuckling as it first turned into snakes… and then into chains. Rituska grit her teeth. This Medusa… she's wasn't one…
She was all three of them she knew. Ana's class, Medusa's body… and Gorgon's mind… oh… shit. The chains wrapped around, forming a cage as Mash got in front of both her and Olga again to guard from the front. "What do you think of my hair? Really sweeps you off your feet doesn't it?" Medusa… no, Gorgon asked as she locked eyes with Ritsuka, licking her lips.
"I'm no match for her… I suggest you try and get away." Mash warned, and Ritsuka shook her head. She wasn't leave Mash behind… Oh what she wouldn't give for Caster right now!
"Well… you've got guts, you're a little girl no matter how you slice it… but your a brave one." Everyone, even Gorgon looked around for the voice, but Ritsuka… she smirked. That was Caster… She recognized that voice easily. Well, what perfect timing. "Sorry that I'm a little late."
'Wait, what?' Ritsuka thought. Caster thought he was late?
"Who are you?" Gorgon questioned, not moving, but simply looking around for the source of the voice as someone landed nearby.
"Who am I? Look at me and you'll know 'old friend.'" Caster said as he stood up, hood on and smirking as Gorgon glared at him.
"I should have known… Caster!" she retorted as he removed his hood "Why do you take the side of these castaways!?" Gorgon demanded.
"Why?" Caster chuckled, before throwing up an array of runes. "Because its better than your side of course!" he launched the flames with lightning speed, Gorgon grunting, and bracing as the bolts of fire exploded, shrouding her in smoke. The chains flailed around as she jumped away, landing on the ground as Caster walked over to the group of three.
"Well hello you three. Sorry it took me a bit to get here. I'm a Caster, and for my own reasons, this chick's my enemy. Probably pretty obvious, right?" he started, leaning back and looking forward. "Get ready young lady. Experience aside, your courage is second to none." he added, and Mash thanked him, standing a little taller.
"Caster?" Ritsuka questioned, and the man turned his head, only showing him one eye and part of his face, only to him.
'Later' he mouthed, rather than spoke, turning back towards Gorgon just as quickly. That one word said more than enough.
Caster remembered, how she wasn't sure.
"Hey Kid," he said, and Ritsuka looked towards him herself now. "I'm leaving orders up to you, we'll make the contract in a bit."
"Right," Ritsuka nodded, and Caster smirked as Gorgon finally spoke.
"That works for me, it means I'll kill you earlier than planned." she started, spinning Harpe around as Caster huffed. "Why wait? I'll take your lives while you're still flesh and Blood!"
The sound of chains. "Caster, both sides!"
"Good ears!" he leapt, just before the barrage of chains could pierce him from both sides, but they shot into the air, chasing after him in an attempt to either pierce or bind.
Caster focused, dodging as he could, several lengths of chain coming up above him, and then coming back down. "Evade!" Ritsuka ordered, magic circuits alight as Caster phased out, mere moments, but just enough to avoid getting bound by the chains. Gorgon grunted, before leaping upward after Caster, swinging Harpe mid jump. He blocked with his staff, being forced to the ground, and then instantly on the defensive as he kept blocking and dodging backward to avoid Harpe cutting him at all.
He leapt around statues, Gorgon cutting them to pieces as he dodged around her wild swings. She was packing a lot of power, but he could tell her technique was lacking… he kept his big mouth shut for once, this was serious, more serious than last time where it was merely shadows. These were actual Servants blackened by mud.
"I see that all you can do is run!" Gorgon said with a giddy smile, closing in on her prey. "You don't even have time to cast a spell, do you!" Caster landed, and then flipped away as she impacted the ground behind him. He placed his hand on the ground, before landing in a kneeling position, his trap set.
"This is what happens when you open your big mouth… I think its about time someone shuts it." She turned Harpe towards him as she sauntered forth. "For good."
"Mash," Ritsuka ordered, and the pinkette ran forward, Gorgon's attention entirely on Caster meant…
"Now young lady!" Caster ordered just as Mash skid into Gorgon's view as she brought down Harpe, the tip impacting her shield as Caster stood up, looking at where Gorgon had landed.
"Word of advice. You don't need to chant to you runes. Now learn your lesson!" He threw out his arm, and Gorgon looked down… at the now glowing rune she was standing over. Flames burst forth, and she screamed in pain as it burned her alive. When the flames were done, she was standing there, doubled over in pain, but alive.
Caster didn't even bother with chanting as he launched an entire array of flames at the Lancer, and in the ensuing explosion, as Ritsuka covered her eyes… Gorgon vanished, defeated and killed like any other Servant.
"I think that counts as a win," Caster said calmly as Mash bowed to him.
"Thank you for stepping in, you saved us when we were in a tight spot." Mash thanked the Servant as he chuckled as he threw her arm around her.
"Nice work little lady. Without you that wouldn't have gone anywhere near as well." he complimented her as Ritsuka led Olga closer, the director still wary of the new Servant as Cú let go of Mash, and then looked both Mash, and Ritsuka up and down. "I gotta say, nice bod, both you and your Master."
Ritsuka frowned, and sulked, and Mash blushed as Caster laughed, leaving Olga to scoff as Fou hissed at the offending Servant for his leering.
"And… our only ally is a pervert…" Olga complained as she pulled up Roman on the communicator.
"Let's just ask him about the situation. He seems like a decent heroic spirit, all things considered." Roman stated, and Caster smirked.
"Well let's cut straight to the point then, but not here. It's a bit too hot, if you catch my drift." he offered, pointing towards the bridge over the water. Ritsuka nodded, and they talked as the group walked.
When the group arrived, Ritsuka listened, with rapt apt fascination as Caster spun his tale.
"Well I didn't lose the Grail War, if that's what your asking. Somewhere along the line, our Holy Grail War was switched up with something else." He started, and Olga scoffed.
"And what does that mean?"
"I don't know the details myself. But the city was blanketed in fire overnight. All the humans vanished, probably turned to ash and bone, the skeletons we see wandering around. The only beings of high function remaining were us Servants." he started and took a deep breath… as he pulled from this timeline's memories.
"The first one to rekindle the fires of the Holy Grail War was Saber. And she was already an odd one to begin with before this whole thing turned into a mess. A black knight wielding an unholy sword. She's been rampaging with wanton abandon. Already she's defeated Archer, who was a Blacksmith Heroic Spirit, Lancer, who we just saw, Rider, a king who conquered much of the world, Berserker, a Greek Hero known for his twelve Labors, and Assassin, a hundred individual assassins that fight together." Caster revealed, and Ritsuka gulped, processing all those identities.
"After they fell in battle, these conquered Servants became corrupted by a 'dark mud' that spewed forth from the grail, bringing them back under Saber's control. I've already disposed of Assassin, and together, we just defeated Lancer. Leaving Rider, Berserker, Archer, and Saber all still standing against us, even if the black Berserker seems to be staying put by the ruins of the old castle." Caster admitted, and Ritsuka nodded.
"So then, if we defeat one of the remaining Servants, either Saber or yourself?" Roman started, and Caster nodded.
"The Holy Grail War will be over." he finished, looking to Ritsuka, who nodded.
"There's a high likelihood of sorting out the singularity F abnormality too. Tell me Caster, where can we find Saber?" Olga asked, and he looked towards the mountain.
"Yeah… at the heart of this land, protecting the corrupted Greater Grail, with Archer by her side, and Rider wandering the streets," he replied, a little uneasy.
Ritsuka was as well, the scenario was similar, but… there were differences, like Rider. Last time, there had been Medusa as 'Shadow Rider', but now they were dealing with full on Servants, only… turned black by the corrupted grail. And Rider was still out there.
"Caster?" Ritsuka asked, and he looked towards the young girl, who took a deep breath. "Would… Rider happen to be… Iskandar, or Alexander the Great?"
Olga, Roman and Mash gasped at the name, as Caster gripped his staff, and huffed. "Well I ain't gonna lie here… yeah, Black Rider is Iskandar, King of Conquerors." At that, Ritsuka winced, hard.
"Iskandar would have been a top class Servant… and to have been defeated by Saber?" Roman asked, and Caster huffed.
"Whatever rank of Servant he was doesn't matter, what does is he stands between us and Saber. So we're gonna have to deal with him, as much as I want to go after Archer." Caster admitted as Ritsuka walked up next to Caster. "So then 'Master'," he looked down at Ritsuka. "You got a plan?"
"You're asking her if she has a plan? To take down Alexander the Great?" Olga complained, and Caster turned to her.
"Well I don't see you offering anything, and my Contract is with her, not you." he explained, forcing Olga to sit down and fume for a moment as Mash looked towards both of them as Ritsuka put her hand to her chin.
"Iskandar… his greatest strengths… that Chariot… and…" she muttered, uncertain that she had any reason to know that he possessed a Reality Marble that summoned an entire army to his side.
"And his sheet physicality, obviously," Caster amended, already taking up a position with her, leaving Mash, Olga and Roman wondering why the two were already working together so well.
"Do you think your Noble Phantasm could smash his Chariot?" she asked, and Caster shook his head, before she hummed, and then snapped her fingers. "The bulls."
"Those I could deal with, but the hard part is going to be-" he started, before a rumbling sound came from above. "Quick, hide!" he ordered.
The group took to the ground, hiding behind the pillars as something shot across the sky… a large chariot, pulled by two massive bulls, and standing within it, a mountain of a man wearing a tattered cloak. Ritsuka grimaced she realized just how badly this could go.
They were going to have to face down Iskandar… one way or another. And after him, EMIYA… and Saber Alter, and without a third Servant as backup to boot.
This… was already going to be much harder than last time.
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