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Fate/Lunaterra ~ RP Thread

Discussion in 'Freeform Roleplays' started by Shadow, May 9, 2017.


  1. Navigating through the city was a surprisingly pleasant experience, despite the nature of his task.

    The idle thought had entered Lancer's mind as he was leaping towards the roof of what appeared to be yet another medium-sized apartment complex. There was just something liberating about maneuvering around the towering edifices and the seemingly endless bifurcations of the roads among them, as if he were inside a massive, urban labyrinth with the element of height ingrained in its concept. This was quite possibly intensified by how utterly empty the city felt, as there were very little civilians to be found even on the main roads, with a solitary car or two to be observed on a rare occasion.

    He could not find a proper justification to this that he could recall, but Lancer realized that he liked the city, for some reason.

    However, he was not here to wander. His infiltration of Calescen's proper city (the island, he supposed, was part of Calescen—his own summoning would have been impossible otherwise) had begun with him cutting through discrete alleys, to following the illuminated asphalt of the roads, to finally slipping over and above the buildings with the power of his Soul Phantasm. Lancer's route seemed aimless and exploratory, but he in fact had a delicate and clear objective: he was in the middle of triangulating the position of the Servants in the area, and he was succeeding.

    The Servant launched another ping as he landed smoothly on the roof. It was an invisible, wavelike signal that radiated outward from Lancer's position in all directions, traveling vast distances before decaying into nothingness. Magical and physically undetectable, the ping would easily travel through objects and structures before reaching a Servant's position, where it would identify them in the same way that their latent Servant detection range would. In turn, however, the pinpointed Servant would also receive this ping and become aware of Lancer's coarsely approximate position—a drawback to the technique, but Lancer was careful in maintaining varying amounts of displacements in between each ping, ensuring that no definite position, trajectory, or speed could be discerned as he would blink in and out of a Servant's nonvisual perception.

    The application was actually simplistic in nature: he was no Caster, but he maintained enough of a working knowledge of spatial magic in order to exploit the very nature of a Servant's ability to detect other Servants within a certain distance. Relatively minimal Mana would be spent in merely folding, at nearly the root, a fraction of the power of his own detection field, before expelling it outwards through spatial resonance: creating the aforementioned ping.

    Three Servants, Lancer surmised internally. The ping was not exactly perfect: it decayed linearly in strength and thus accuracy near its outermost reaches, so it was only until now that his impromptu Servant radar had returned fairly distinguishable signatures. They, too, also likely knew that a Servant was at least in the area, although the way they would interpret his presence was a mystery to him: would they interpret it as a Servant being located in the periphery of their own detection range, or would they perceive it very vaguely due to distance exceeding their own, like an Assassin with a comparatively average concealment ability?

    Lancer chose one of those signatures at random, and leapt off the apartment building and towards the next in its direction.
     
    #61 Shadow, May 18, 2017 at 2:30 AM
    Last edited: May 18, 2017
  2. "I'm well and able. I slept before the ritual to be at my peak for a head start." It was mostly true. Five hours of fitful sleep was the best she could muster, but recent events certainly filled her with energy. And it was more or less the amount she was used to ever since the Seals appeared. Kal was always a night-owl anyway, getting most of her inspiration and work done at night. Perhaps is would be a slight advantage for her?

    Assassin was certainly a concern. By no means was she a harmless little girl, but Assassin-class Servants are masters of the silent kill. And of course, killing the master was the easiest way to win the war. It was no comfort to have the fact reaffirmed by her own servant. In fact, Assassin's greatest ability was knowing the Servant existed. The knowledge had a way of creeping into the mind, sneaking into every thought, turning every glance into fearful suspicion. But Kalonia resolved to not allow it to take her. The anxiety would likely never dissipate for as long as Assassin lived, but she could live with that. It might even help keep her alive.

    "If I had my way, I'd love to see Assassin fall first..." She stated softly. "Lead on, Rider. And if at any point you feel the need to splinter off and track on your own, let me know and do it. We currently have the element of anonymity so there's little risk of my being identified as a master so early on anyway. Until our identities are breached, act as you see fit."
     
  3. "Good. Because we may already have a problem." Rider is notably alert, glancing around in wariness. During the time the two had been talking, he'd picked up a very distant sense of a nearby Servant- possibly only just within his detection range. He can't accurately tell the direction due to the long distance, but it is definitely another Servant out and about. He looks back briefly at Kalonia to ascertain her position, then looks hard in the direction he thinks the other Servant is in.

    "On the bright side, I don't think that's Assassin," He begins slowly. "Assassin would know not to make his presence so detectable. But there is another Servant, and I'm almost certain he or she senses me, as well. Stay close, Kalonia." Instinctively he seeks cover, for the both of them- the nearest options are trees or buildings that may or may not be inhabited. Rider narrows his eyes slightly, then continues walking, waving Kalonia over to follow him closely. "Come on. Let's find cover or a good position before whoever that is gets here."
     
  4. Llerse narrowed his eyes upon hearing Assassin's chuckle. He could feel his malintent once more. And the man's amused smile only added to it. It definitely reinforced the point of why he wanted to listen to his terms.

    Llerse then proceeded to listen to his Servant's third and seemingly last term. His expression, while maintaining the serious look it had when the terms began- showed a vague curiosity as he listened to what in his opinion was the most unusual of them. At first, what he said was true. Terra truly had no deity to speak of. But he wasn't sure what that had to do with anything. But as the man continued, his serious look withdrew slightly, displaying more of mix of confusion and curiosity. The man was speaking of things that he had never heard of, or would have thought would have existed.

    Ultimately, when Assassin revealed the term, Llerse was silent for a moment to fully process this. And then chuckled for another few seconds. "Alright, I'll bite," he spoke. "This sounds like it could pave the way to some interesting stuff. But let's just say I agree to this one. What exactly would helping you with that entail?"

    ----------------------------------------------------------​

    Caster narrowed her eyes. Malden knew exactly what she was referring to. The phenomenon known as the Veil. As expected of her master. And looking at her Master's eyes, he appeared to have figured out her intentions in relation to it. Or at least somewhat had it figured out. There was still a crucial detail seeming to be missed. As intelligent as he seemed to be, she doubted that even he could truly comprehend what she sought from surpassing the Veil.

    Caster stared at Malden, a very slight annoyance in her eyes as she wasn't exactly satisfied with the response. But ultimately, she decided they weren't going to get anywhere arguing about it. Besides, the general idea was grasped. There was no need to spoil the real fun to be had yet. "Very well," she eventually spoke. "I trust you'll get to it soon enough."

    But just in case, I'll have to make a note to have her get that matter sorted. If she ever gets here...

    Caster then hovered past her Master, then stopping. "I don't suppose you're going to introduce me to your friend standing outside, are you?"
     
  5. "The Zhennka Shi Unit..." Azar's voice quietly trailed off. Brief tidbits of information stirred in his brain in order to put a face on this concept, then Azar's face lit up once his memories came back with information. From books he's read as a child, he remembered that this was The Legendary Unit. Widely known throughout worlds to be the Unit that breathed impossible. After Archer was done correcting Azar on the specifications of his gun, Azar nodded. "If I wanted to win this war with brute force, I would have gunned for Beserker instead." A pause. "My blood flows with the determination of the Grenian people. We believe brawn alone can't win anything. We'll both have to be at the peak of our wit and energy. And I may help with that. Do not worry."

    As Archer bowed to swear fidelity to Azar, he salutes the servant and gives a genuine smirk. "You have lots of military strategy drilled into your mind, so that is reassuring for me. Now, I am a mage very much capable of improving your power...should you need it."
     
  6. Malden kept an unblinking stare as Caster shifted and willingly relented to his request. His expression was unreadable now, even as Caster asked about the man outside, whom she referred to as his friend. Malden let a light smirk crease the side of his lips as he turned back to the doorway and proceeded.

    As the doors opened to his walking toward the door. Down the steps Malden continued until he was near the black sedan. Just outside of the vehicle, Evan waited for him. His look conveyed everything to him: it was time to move. he didn't bother with having Evan get the side door open for him; instead, he pulled it open himself, turning to Caster who seemed to follow suit.

    As soon as Caster could be situated, Malden would climb into the passenger side of the sedan. There, he could feel his hands pulsating with life... and death. He stared down at his gloved appendages, fingers twitching. Then, his eyes closed, an image coming to his mind. It was something he couldn't quite grasp, but it stared him right in the face. Eyes. Terrible, terrible eyes. Eyes that were filled with a depth of hatred beyond anything he'd ever comprehended. Eyes that stared hungrily at his own soul, the vulnerability almost mentality-breaking --

    Malden's eyes burst open. "Let's go, Evan," Malden spoke, his voice conveying an indiscernible coldness. With that, he pulled out a small glass pane from his pocket, which responded with lit keys and a holographic screen. Malden waited for the security properties on the holographic computer recognized and accepted him before proceeding to punch in something into the device.

    -------

    The cool night breeze had picked up around the island of the Knight residence. Everything felt calm among the streets, especially on the bridge. It wasn't uncommon for the island to be peaceful, but tonight it was especially so. The full moon lit much of the unlit portions of the city of Calascen, providing little full darkness except among the trees and the alleyways between buildings and skyscrapers that touched the sky.

    Within the shade of the island forest, a black figure remained entirely motionless. It waited silently, fixated near the Knight residence with an immense stillness. It was impossible to tell if the being were in any way alive. However, as soon as a form suddenly appeared on the outside of the property fencing, its form twitched ever slightly. Before the person before the being had disappeared from view, the black being shifted and disappeared into the trees with as silent a movement as if it hadn't moved at all.

    From place to place, the being tracked the black-haired individual until he had reached the bridge area, where it crouched silently within the darkness of an oak's branches. There, the being watched as the black-haired person suddenly volleyed into the air. The being stared, as if taking note of the occurrence before the being moved forward steadily. By the time the person had made it well past the bridge, the black being leaped from light post to light post with considerable ease, remaining perfectly balanced while it accelerated to keep a measured distance from the person in question. After all, for now, the being's orders were to follow and observe. And, perhaps, find a means to obtain information on each Servant it ran into.

    The black-suited being maintained pace well behind this potential servant, making sure to keep note in its records for this person's capabilities.
     
  7. "From what I understand of this 'Terra' my appearance is likely to give me away as a Servant. Is this a concern for you, Master?"

    Distra looked back after reaching the end of the short hall, the door still shut. She gave her servant a bemused look. He was indeed striking, and nothing like him was mentioned when being briefed on the wildlife of Terra. Normal citizens had their senses dampened, but even that had its limits, and those limits were not something Distra knew in detail. He would have to be dematerialized when they left to scout for other participants, but that may have been the case anyway, considering this master’s preferred method of travel. “I guess this is what I get for not trying to summon Assassin?” is all she bothered to say to her servant, her sense of humor hiding any more complex thoughts. “Let’s start with the people I do want you to meet, Saber.”

    Dista opened the door into the other room, a large conference area that had been hacked into a kind of kitchen. Where there should have been a massive desk there was instead a smaller coffee table encircled by a sofa, facing away from the door. In the back a portable stove, fridge, and countertop. The room reeked of a recent fish dinner, mixed in with a kind of stale freshness that permeated most of the building, unused since its creation, in wait for years for this very night. The wall opposite the door was a window into a business street, though for the most part, the blinds were shut. A large variety of strange things were to take place in this room, but with the veil over the city distorting the minds of the citizens, simple blinds would be able good enough to stop anyone from asking questions. As far as the citizens of Terra and any paperwork were concerned this was an office building, owned by a Mr. ‘John Smith’ for a future business venture.

    In reality, it’s owners were not from this world.

    The moment Distra opened the door one man was visible immediately, standing nearby the entrance. He had short brown hair and thin facial hair, with similarly colored eyes. His ‘robe’ in parallel to Distra looked more like a trenchcoat, and had no gold in its seems. Strapped to its back was a large sniper rifle, but bizarrely strapped to his undershirt were bandoliers of vibrantly colored vials, not bullets. He looked like the kind of guy who makes decisions that he thinks would make him though. Most of that melted after Distra walked through the door though; he could clearly see the guest of honor following her, and his eyes grew wide. He took a step back and put his hand behind him, where it could reach his gun. “Tillan,” Distra addressed the man, mostly to introduce his name to her servant. She then walked over to the couch, making room for Saber to fold himself and enter the room. She grabbed the couch by the end and pulled it towards her, tilting the couch so that it would face Saber.

    At this point, the understanding of Terra that the Holy Grail had bestowed began to fall short. Another ‘man’ sat on the couch, but this was no human. A furry brown blob of a man, shorter than Distra and Tillian by the same margin that they were shorter than Saber. He wore a black ‘robe’ too, but it was more like a collection of scarves, a mess of individual bands that all met at the upper body. An otter was what one would strike him as initially, but something seemed off. The proportions were all wrong, he was taller and more bottom heavy, his eyes were larger and more human, violet colored irises instead of small black marbles. His hands were also longer and more human-like, currently clutching a bag of half eaten potato chips. The remainder of those chips seemed to be caught in his facial hair, a large fluffy mustache, perched above a mouth hanging agape at the intimidating figure he just saw enter the room. “Putatio,” Distra continued.

    “Oke’nyi!” Distra shouted the final name towards the countertop at the other end of the room, her mouth struggling to pronounce the name. Comparisons with the wildlife of Terra started to fail as a mass of tentacles slowly crawled on top of the countertop, caught within its grasp several provisions that it seemed to be sorting under the counter. With a satisfying shlorping sound it managed to hoist its amorphous tubular main body into sight. The closest thing to a ‘robe’ on this one being a species-fitted apron along its broad side. A witticism in a language Saber could not read was written on the front. A series of excited clicking and whistling noises could be heard, though it was impossible to read any emotion from its nonexistent face.’

    “Everyone! Meet our newest teammate, Saber!”

    Distra threw her hands towards her servant in reveal. The two men continued to stare gormlessly at the demon, as Oke’nyi raised one of its two main squid-like tentacles to wave hello.
     
    #67 Flimzy, May 21, 2017 at 6:57 AM
    Last edited: May 21, 2017
  8. Evan was forced his kill his slightly preemptive, incipient motion towards opening the side door of the sedan, as Malden's singular look and purposeful stride conveyed all he needed to know, all he needed to do. Instead, he gave the mysterious entity—the Servant, he was certain—a small but polite bow, during which he managed to briefly study the woman. Caster, the agent deduced, as he turned around and moved towards the driver seat on the opposite side of the car. Could be Berserker too... but I'm pretty sure that's Caster.

    He entered the vehicle only seconds after Malden had properly situated himself, though he delayed himself slightly, imagining that the Servant would appreciate a few seconds of deliberation between exiting the crazEcorp building to boarding the black sedan. Mainly, though, he had aptly made the decision judging from Malden's general behavior. Evan closed the car door in almost practiced simultaneity to him lightly tapping a small and unlit touchscreen panel adjacent to the steering wheel, keyed to his own fingerprint. This caused the vehicle to hum into life as its darkened interior was cast alight by the soft and modest glow of technology—a state-of-the-art crazEcorp sedan.

    Evan had this routine down to an art form, almost, as his smooth and fluid motions suggested that this was just another iteration of an occurrence that had happened dozens, hundreds of times before. In that sense, adding a Servant into the equation was not that radically different from having a very peculiar passenger on-board, although Evan was fully aware of their capabilities and, more importantly, their purpose. Still, knowledge and practice were entirely different matters: he could not help but feel internally unnerved at the Servant's presence, in the same way that someone pointing a gun at you, even if unloaded, would generate some level of instinctual unease only by knowing what a gun was, and what it could do.

    Humans and Servants were simply that far apart.

    "Yes, sir." Evan's reply was short, concise, and respectful, although he first glanced over to the Servant just in case she had different ideas. He was experienced enough to not let even this slight unease display in any visible tell, as his job practically required the ability while simultaneously honing it in the field. After all, this would not be the first time he would be in unarguable involvement with the metaphysical world.
     
  9. It's beginning. The war had loomed over her all this time it was surreal to find it had begun. Servants and masters were out and on the prowl. Ready for blood. Ready to kill. What was the point of it all? Why did this cycle even exist? There had to be a reason- something that established this war. She stuffed her contemplation aside and followed after Rider as quickly as she was able. "Of course." Was all she proffered, clearly allowing her Servant more control of the situation. She was a stranger to real combat- likely to be her undoing- and so was quick to trust the clearly knowledgable Servant. He had an air of authority that was calming, and he seemed familiar with the idea of command. Strange, was it normal for the role of Master and Servant to become flipped so easily?

    Kal tested a gauntlet with her will and a jolt of electricity danced across its surface. It was a nervous tick she realized she had been developing when she was getting ready for a simulation. Looks like it would hold true for the real thing...

    ---
    Saber was growing a little uncomfortable with the size of this world. Or at least, the doorways. They defied his patience so quickly. This was only his second one and it greatly displeased him. Still, he pulled through as he had before and entered a much larger room. Grateful of the space, he spread his great wings as wide as he could, stretching them out before returning them to a casual half-spread. Nothing quite like easing the wing muscles. His gaze followed the names from his Master, taking in each respectively. They all seemed to be attempting a shared outfit pattern, save for the last where it was clear it wasn't going to happen. A strange group.

    The massive Vodera offered a curt nod to each individual, showing little interest or emotion. "I am only tasked in the service of my Master." It was clear he had no interest in taking orders from any of these individuals. He turned to Distra, his face showing a hint of humor before vanishing away. "I will do as you ask, but I am not obligated to serve or protect them save by your command seal alone."
     
    #69 Ziolang, May 22, 2017 at 12:47 AM
    Last edited: May 22, 2017
  10. Standing up and at ease once again, Archer let out a short, thoughtful hum at Azar's reassurance, almost as if to say "even then," but still carried himself with the confidence of a soldier. Archer then looked around at the room filled with Grenian technology. It was like a scientist's laboratory, and it was even beginning to make him somewhat uncomfortable. Walking forward, he stepped out of the circle of candles. "I'd surely like to know more, sir," he began with a sigh, "but maybe somewhere more fitting?" the last word seemed to be something of a replacement, as if he was looking for "comfortable." "And while I do know some basics of Terra, I would also like finer details. Maps of the area we'll be dealing with, some basic strategy to start with, and we could probably do some reconnaissance as well."

    Archer then paused, just remembering that his master did not have the same faculties that Archer, as a Servant, possessed. "Of course, sir, if you're more comfortable here, it should be possible for me to do that mostly by myself, especially if we have a means of communication. I can inform you of my abilities when we begin planning our operation."
     
  11. "This term ensures that nothing happens to sabotage or hinder my goal." Assassin's tone is concise, but still retains the predatory amusement he's kept throughout the conversation. "Ultimately, it should affect nothing on your end, Master- provided we are able to cooperate." He chuckles. "There have been cases where Masters have grown wary or impatient with their Servants, and so either begin to work against them or, indeed, even order the Servant to kill itself. I simply wish to ensure that nothing like this can happen."

    Assassin glances around at the statues, seeming to take a renewed interest in them. The gray serpent gives a low hiss, but its meaning is unclear, as all Assassin does is look at it briefly before returning his gaze to Llerse. "This term will only change our relationship if you step out of line, Master." The words would normally seem strikingly out of place for a Servant, especially for Assassin's ever-casual tone- is the Master not the one usually telling the Servant to stay in line? But somehow amidst the man's smooth words that seem to flow around and through the mind it doesn't seem so strange. "As long as we can work together, you will be helping me anyway."

    There is a pause that makes the air suddenly seem heavy, as if one's senses are trying to warn of danger but can't.

    "There is... one more thing to that, though, I suppose..." Assassin seems to consider his own words, appearing thoughtful for a moment before grinning at Llerse again. "As I said, my true contract is that with a god of souls. Master." The title seems tacked on as an afterthought. "Do you know where souls go when the vessel dies? Often, they are recycled into new life, or lost to the void, or..." he glances around at the statues again, this time his eyes resting on the barrel of blood, "... somewhere less pleasant. But the souls taken in by my true Master are put to quite good use. Would you not say that this sounds more appealing than wherever your soul may be going?" A sly grin.

    "If it pleases you, Master, you may be put to quite good use should you die in this war."

    ----------

    Rider nods and ushers Kalonia behind a nearby building, glancing into a dark window to see if it is occupied. He seems satisfied, or maybe just doesn't see anyone, and continues to walk. His movements now are furtive, almost like an animal slinking through cover to escape a predator unnoticed- or perhaps to flank prey. The boy glances at the night sky in the direction he thought he'd sensed the other Servant, but now his eyes narrow in thought. He signals to Kalonia with a hand, telling her to stop for a moment, and looks around briefly.

    Oddly, a static hum of latent electrical power buzzes in the air around them, but Rider seems unconcerned.

    "Memiring, rel neduféá," he hisses in a low voice, but he doesn't seem to be talking to Kalonia. And impossibly, as if in response, the electrical hum briefly intensifies- as if in confirmation?- and seems to move past them, the sound panning by the pair's ears as if a very quiet bee swarm had just flown by. Rider glances back as if to follow its movements with his gaze; if Kalonia looks hard enough, she might see the fleeting, phantom image of a near-invisible streak of light zap out of the area and into the sky.

    Rider gives a light sigh, but makes no indication of moving on.


    ***"Mimring, find it."
     
  12. Llerse merely chuckled again, only this time more prolonged as it quickly progressed into a maniacal laugh. "It's funny that you say that... No. Rather, I should say that I find it amusing how you say it. Because to me, it sounds as if you think I care about where my soul's headed once I die." He paused. "Fact is even before I earned my mark as a Master, I knew exactly where I was headed. And I knew for a fact that it wouldn't be anywhere pleasant. To me, it does not matter what my destination is. But rather how much fun I can have before that day. And as is, it's been rather effective."

    "But... What you offer definitely sounds like it could be quite enjoyable." At this point, Llerse finally extended his hand. "Alright, I'm fine with your terms. But I have only one condition of my own. Your true Master is fine to the use of my soul... He just has to make sure that it gets more enjoyment than I've ever have in this past decade."

    ----------------------------------------------------------

    Caster silently followed Malden out of the building toward the sedan. She took a quick glance behind her at the building she exited. From that glance alone, it wasn't all that impressive in her eyes. Nothing as close to the floating fortress castle they ruled from on her homeworld. She turned away from it as quickly as she turned for that glance, stopping mere feet from the vehicle. She watched as the man- Evan- gave her a bow before moving to the other side of the sedan.

    It was reassuring to know that chivalry was indeed dead. Or perhaps it was just with these two. Caster silently let herself into the sedan. She paid no attention to what either Malden or Evan were doing. As it was, she wasn't particularly interested. She merely waited for the group to start moving.

    There was enough to be concerned about this night that superseded both of them.
     
  13. "Berserker, what is it you would wish of the Grail?"

    Berserker stopped dead at this question. She'd had many a reason, from the benign to the urgent, to request the Grail's aid, but she hadn't been able to narrow it down until very recently. She turned to look at Lucas. "Truthfully," she started, beginning to raise a finger, but stopping herself part-way through, almost as if her heart wanted to say this but her mind didn't, "an end to the constant protest and battle I've been involved with all my life. I just want it to end so I can relax and settle down with a friend." She started walking again, realising that she'd probably said too much already. She'd have to be more careful with her words from now on, and that would start with changing the subject. Again. "How far do you wager it is from here to the industrial sector?" she asked, "Best try to avoid any direct contact, if you see what I mean."
     
  14. Another cool grin from Assassin. "I am certain that can be arranged, Master. The happenings in my native world are beyond the average Terran's imagination- your soul will have more entertainment than it will know what to do with." A brief, almost analytical pause. "These are the extent of my terms. As you agree with them, it appears that we have struck a deal." He reaches out his serpent-coiled arm once more to finally clasp Llerse's into a handshake.

    What happens next is almost impossible to track with the naked eye- even Llerse would likely only feel the sharp pain that results before registering any movement or cause. The scarlet snake lunges forward, finally releasing the tense energy that has had her hissing impatiently throughout the entire exchange. Long fangs sink into the hand that carries Llerse's Command Spells. For perhaps a millisecond the handshake is bridged by the crimson-scaled rope that is the serpent's body. She pulls back before most humans would register the pain, flicking her tongue out as the reaction starts.

    No harmful venom has been injected in the bite- the twin serpents know not to actually harm Llerse. What is happening, however, is something stranger- black markings framing and streaking down the Command Spells, not obscuring them but rather like additions to the pattern. At first, they appear simply as stylized lines, but as they run down the pattern and begin to entwine into a spiral, the combined seal takes on a snakelike form, eventually curving back in on itself in a sort of loop or ring. The pain fades quickly, to be replaced by a strange sensation similar to that of an active Command Spell and yet somehow starkly different.

    Assassin grins again.

    "Our agreement has been struck, or contract binding. What would you have us do next, Master?"

    ----------

    "I don't imagine it's far." If Lucas recognizes the sudden change of subject, he doesn't comment on it. He does look back at her, knowing she stopped walking for a moment, but seems satisfied with her continuing to follow him. "A handful of blocks, I think. I summoned you at the very edge of the city." Lucas looks around at the deserted streets as they cross into more suburban neighborhoods.

    "Not that it matters, though. These streets feel almost as dead as the cats." He shrugs. "If we're lucky we might not even run into any other Masters tonight. Which is fine by me- it gives us more time to prepare ourselves."
     
  15. Azar gave out a brief hum while thinking, putting his fingers under his chin as if such a physical action could help guide his thought process. Watching Archer step out of the circle, he waved his arm back as a way of telling Archer to follow him, and thus began to show him around the rather small house. In every room Azar had a system made from both technology and magic intricately and carefully placed that would double as both an alarm to detect servants and protection, should they be bold enough to attack Azar and Archer head on. Once going up the stairs to the second floor, Azar guides Archer to a sort of briefing room. The slightest movement triggered the walls to light up and begin showing maps, information, anything they wanted or needed. Azar spoke while putting his hands behind is back. "You think this could be of use to you?" he says, almost in a sort of proud way. "Every avenue, alley, building, business, profiles of people you could ever want. All gathered carefully over the course of a couple of years-- some of it a couple of centuries-- Ah, that's not too relevant for the moment." Azar motions Archer to sit as he also sits down on a chair that miraculously builds itself. Crossing his arms, he nods. "You did mention that you may not be up to par with a lot of the other servants, right? I fear that making you go out to scout could expose you and make you easy to pick off."

    He thinks for a moment. "Instinct tells me to let the bigshots keep busy ripping each other's throats off, and to play the scavenger; Pick off whoever is unfocused or caught in the crossfire, right? What would you suggest?"
     
  16. The static field was rather noticeable to Kal as she was rather used to listening to the soft hum of technology. Sometimes listening to those delicate whirs of energy was all she needed to determine her next step in production. Mana was a fickle power source, and understanding its ebb and flow was vital to magitech. So to say she was immensely curious by this static anomaly was quite the understatement. Her curiosity was only fueled more when Rider spoke to the entity. Was it alive? Some kind of tracking spell? She had to admit, the young inventor wasn't well versed in freeform magic. She had always seemed to need the boost in confidence her technology provided, in addition to its intended purposes.

    She was always silently jealous of spellcasters.

    Still, she couldn't help but feed her intrigue. "What was that?" She prompted in a hushed voice.
     
  17. "I don't think that's an option."

    Lancer's voice cut through the conversation between Berserker and her Master. It carried, mildly echoing through the street. The fact was somewhat surprising, given that his voice was nowhere near close to the level of yelling, but the almost eerie quietness of the deserted neighborhood gave the atmosphere a certain quality that almost seemed to amplify every sound, as if compensating for the sheer scarcity of noise. It made the night seem that much more ominous, now that were no witnesses amidst suburban Calescen but the participants of the War themselves.

    Or was it perhaps his tone? The way the Servant spoke assuredly, like stating a simple observation rather than any variation of intimidation that would unambiguously let one know that their intentions were inherently threatening?

    Lancer allowed little time to pass for the Master-Servant pair to grasp the situation before he stepped into view, walking almost casually out of an innocuous little alley that peeked into the street not too far in front where the two were standing. One could have almost called the motion careless, but the Servant's attention never strayed from Lucas and Berserker (was he looking at the Master, the Servant, or both?), his blue eyes fixated on them even as he stopped in the middle of the street. Directly in their way.

    "Correct me if I'm wrong, but you must be, hmm..." Lancer punctuated this by momentarily looking away, apparently in order to give his surroundings a cursory glance, although he gave a number of features several more split seconds of attention: namely, the alleys, side streets, blind spots created by walls or the angles of buildings, and the roofs of the suburbs. It was only a couple of seconds later that he concluded, the Servant's eyes falling on the man and then the woman in sync with his words, "The Master, and the Servant."

    It's not here, or at least not yet. I don't think it was ever the type to stop following someone, though, he thought with a touch of displeasure. Somewhat unavoidably due to the sharpness of his mental faculties, Lancer had noticed a certain someone, or more specifically a certain something tailing him ever since he had left Valerie's residence. Although he had a very, very good idea of what it was, Lancer had opted to play along and continue with his task, regardless. Probably works smoother this way, he reckoned.

    It was rather fortunate that his first, albeit random target had been meandering near the outskirts of Calescen, at a rather comfortable travel distance: his angle of entry towards the city plus his somewhat haphazard trajectory had meant that the outskirts had been physically closer to him than even the heart of the city, and his Noble Phantasm eliminated any technicalities arising from routes: he could simply leap over or around buildings when needed. The area was understandably quiet, and that made potential inconsistencies much easier to notice, more obvious.

    "You know the rules." Lancer said, his tone injecting a small measure of severity to these words. But even as he spoke, the Servant made absolutely no motion that would indicate he was intending to attack, not even a shift in position or tensing of the body that would at least precede the intention of movement. The Servant was not only weaponless, but apparently content in staying where he was. "Something tells me that this is as quiet as it can get, but I wouldn't mind moving." he added, somehow sounding more like a honest suggestion than an afterthought.
     
  18. Distra removed a glove and raised her hand so its back faced her guildmates. On it there was the mandatory red sigil, two wings wrapped counterclockwise around a webbed sphere. “Saber is referring to this. I may give him up to 3 orders he cannot ignore.” Putatio in particular seemed annoyed by this nonchalant explanation by Distra. The rekkan sat up from his sofa, his short size becoming apparent and doing little to make his anger more respectable. “Is that really enough? This guy seems like a real stickler for rules. Rules we might not know.” Distra did not look at her teammate. Instead, she looked Saber directly in the eyes, her gaze trying to pry the answer out of him.

    Regardless of Saber’s response, she continued, “These researchers answer to me as you do. For the sake of the Holy Grail War they’re here to work for you as well, if you’re willing to give them an amount of mutual trust… But on the subject of trust, there’s something very important we must discuss.” Distra leaned to her side a bit, uncomfortable. Putatio was right, this servant had been very detached so far, if not outright hostile, and this next fact might be the start of tensions between them, depending on Saber’s true nature.

    “We are a Chaos Breaker investigation team sent from The Wall at the End of the World in Yulatra.” This much was complete gibberish to Saber, though Tillan and Putatio seemed to stand at attention with an amount of pride, knowing where Distra was going with this. “We were sent here to gather as much information as possible about the recurring ‘Holy Grail War’ incident occurring on Terra. This means extensive notetaking and attention to technical details are required of us… But more importantly, this means that actually ‘winning’ the Holy Grail War is a secondary concern for us, and only insofar was winning allows us to learn the most possible about the phenomenon.” Distra looked at Saber with a measure of respect, her voice understanding.

    “Saber, does this conflict of interest concern you?”
    “The last thing I want is to stand in the way of your own chance at a wish on the holy grail, but we must understand each other now. Please speak your mind fully.”
     
  19. Saber gave only a disinterested gaze to the smallish being called Putatio. He gave no sign or response, only returning to his master to speak all she had to offer. He had no idea what this Yulatra was or any of the labels proffered in explanation of their purposes. However he certainly understood the idea of research. They were here to discover details about the grail. Winning secondary, if even desired. Interesting.

    "Your terms are quite unique." He finally responded. He seemed genuine in his tone and that same aura of warmth came as he spoke. Almost as if his words were enchanted. "We established a contract. Your objectives are your own. However..." He paused, as if uncertain whether he should continue his thought. Satisfied, he continued. "You might find our goals have more in common than you may believe." He offered no sign of explaining himself. Rather, he turned his attention to the squat something of a being, the Vodera's impressive bulk towering over Putatio. "Only fools succumb to poor tempers." His expression hardened and the aura of warmth became somehow less friendly for only an instant, like a sudden crack of flames from a campfire. "Fools never live long."

    Turning to a more general gaze, he addressed all within the room, his deep voice strong and determined- almost commanding. "I understand and accept your objectives. However, this is called a War for a reason. Other Masters and Servants in this Holy Grail War will not hesitate to kill any one of you. And I repeat. I am not tasked to protect any but my Master. I may do so or I may not, depending on how I judge the circumstance. I make this statement not as a threat. But to ensure that none of you will rely on a defense that may not come."
     
  20. "That," Rider breathes, simultaneously keeping his voiced hushed and his eyes focused in the direction the light had gone in, "is the reason I'm called Rider. You'll see soon enough. But for now he's having a look around for us." He falls silent, but a strange expression crosses his face. Focused yet at the same time distracted; distant yet attentive. The clearest indication is the boy's eyes- staring intently at nothing, his gaze like that of a predator stalking prey that only it can see.

    Well?

    If it knows we are here, it is not on us yet, another voice responds. Only Rider can hear this one, and all Kalonia would see is the Servant's eyes narrowing ever so slightly. It did not come in our direction, and seems diverted by something else. Another Servant, perhaps. Shall I investigate further?

    "Areín." Rider speaks verbally this time in that same hushed whisper and feels the other entity's affirmation as it pursues the other Servant's signature. Rider glances at Kalonia for the first time in several minutes. "We'll have to wait for a few minutes, Kalonia," he says, but gives no explanation. Jerking his head at the window, he continues. "Building's empty. We can break in and hide out for a bit, if you like."
     

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