Fate/sixth apocalypse

He lands hard onto a table, and he sees a sudden spray of color as bottles and vials crash along with him to the floor. He sees a bunch of books, and odd lines and circles. He reaches over and puts his blooded palm into one of the circles, and yells. He sees lights dance and scream in his head and deep within his mind, something awakens that was once very cold and dormant.

The man walks in and sees the summoning circle and his eye widen "SH@T!" he screams before training his pistols on Maun

The man arrived too late. Even as Maun felt something within him stirring, the circle suddenly surged to life. Brilliant white light flared from its lines as some invisible force hurled dust, glass shards and bits of plaster from within the circle's boundaries. Even the moonlight streaming in through the shattered windows seemed as a faint glow next to the sheer radiance of the magic power setting the inside of the ruined workshop alight. Though it was a calm night, a powerful wind of almost gale force swept through the room, seemingly originating from the center of that ring of magic sigils as the light brightened in intensity to the point where it simply blotted out all else. The world was gone, simply white.

Then it vanished. A thin haze clung to the ground around the two...wait. Make that three. The circle was now occupied by a young woman, who seemed to be around Maun's age, by appearance, head bowed as though in prayer. She was wearing at least part of a suit of medieval armor, which was certainly odd...though no more so than the fact that he had just appeared out of thin air, of course. A sword with a simple black scabbard hung at her waist, and in one hand she held a banner of white and gold that streamed out behind her, borne aloft by the earlier wind as it died down to a gentle breeze.


Almost immediately, her eyes snapped open (to add to the growing list of insane things of the past two seconds or so, they were inexplicably violet). Upon noticing the man's pistols aimed at Maun, she drew her sword and stepped forward, putting herself between him and his assailant. "You will not harm him, Servant Archer." It wasn't a threat, not the way she said it. Merely a statement.

Troy cleared his throat. "Much as I'm impressed that you brought the idea up, King of Conquerors, it's called the Holy Grail War. I doubt you're going to be able to talk anyone down."

"Well, I think it's still worth trying."

"You try and destroy thee time honored rules that dictate we fight for the grail?" Gilgamesh says "I should just kill you now to save me the trouble of it later"

"Please don't my master owns that castle and this is ment to be a talk of peace not war. Just a little heads up King of Hero's, I have a plan that even your power can't beat so think on that before you start wars" Robin says

Elizabeth looked skeptical as everyone else. It was the way Robin had said his statement, he sounded so confident that she believed him for a second.

Chrom and Arturia both fully believed Robins statement. Both of them had known him in life and knew what he was capable of, Chrom had him lead his armies against impossible odds and still get out with a single loss of life on their side. Arturia didn't know Robin as well as Chrom but anyone who could plan and orchestrate a plan that could bring down Camelot as well as her and Merlin was able to think up a plan to beat the King of Heros. Gilgamesh looks at Robin "You would be the second mongrel to say that they could use their dreams to defeat me, you will fall to the ground and die just like him"

***

Archer swore to himself "This was supposed to be an easy job, just like that little weasel that suddenly got a Rider" he puts away one of his pistols and takes out his huge broad sword. He wields the sword in his right and the pistol in his left

"Saber" Archer says "You know I have orders to kill the shrimp behind you, I've failed once and if it happens again bad things happen. So-Oh who am I kidding?" he says sending a dozen shots at Saber and her master.

It was bright. Too bright. He hated so much light all at once. If Maun thought that he was seeing things in his head before now, he surely was seeing them come to life. But this time, it was REAL The meds, thats why. They kept them from saving him in the past, and now that he got off them, they could FINALLY Help him. Guide him, like they always promised to do. But then, it opened its eyes, and he felt a sudden fear."Who? What the bloody-" He cursed out loud, and crawled away as the other man suddenly shot forth a rain of heavy lead.

Troy was no stranger to plans. He was of the school of thought that dictated preparation before all else, that battles should be won long before they were ever fought. And he was currently attempting to mastermind a plan to take out Gilgamesh himself. Between that and the apparent belief of both of his Servants that Robin could make good on his threat, Troy decided to believe the King of Generals. He waited a moment, considering his phrasing, before speaking. "Whatever the viability of that plan, this is a time of peace, however brief. In which we will not be discussing the surrender of the Grail to anyone." He directed that last statement at Iskandar in particular.

***

After about an hour and a half of Medea and Caster not appearing to do anything of note, Sharur decided to inquire as to if they had a plan.

***

Saber, like Archer, was clearly impossibly fast and strong. Not a single bullet came close to hitting its mark - she deflected them all through a combination of her sword and the banner, whose sharpened tip allowed it to double as a sort of spear or lance. After the initial barrage, she didn't so much charge at Archer as she simply blurred forward, lance aimed straight at his heart.

Robin smiles at that statement "That is true, more wine?" he asks Troy

***

"Lancer wants to have a little fun so we wait until he comes back" Medea says "Or you can help caster with his toys"

***

Archer swung his sword to deflect Sabers attack but it bearly blocked the blow and he was sent back from the force. He staggers to his feet and swings his sword at Saber, a red aura of energy heading straight for her.

"No thanks." Troy didn't care for alcohol. Anything that reduced his ability to think clearly was obviously both evil and out to get him.

***

Sharur was patient, but not that patient. "I'll help Caster then."

***

Saber braced her lance against the ground, blocking Archer's attack before bringing her own sword around in a strike clearly meant to sever his arm at the shoulder.

Maun watches, and keeps out his switchblade. He lessens his worry.

Robin shrugs "Suit yourself this drink is godlike"

"I will take your praise as a compliment" Gilgamesh says

***

Caster was over next to a table working on a stone familier "Are you here to help?"

***

Archer did a backflip out of the way but he wasn't fast enough and got cut on his shoulder "Ok now its getting started"

His sword hums with sound and glows red before Archer looked up like he heard something "Really? Right now? Dude you are a freaking cock blocker. Sorry got to run"

Archer disappears from view leaving Saber and Maun alone

Troy waited for something to happen. Iskandar appeared to have given up trying to talk the other Servants out of the Grail and was going after some sort of meat pie.

***

"There's nothing else to do, and despite being an inanimate object I am in fact capable of boredom. So yes." 

***

Saber was still for a moment, waiting to see if she could sense Archer's presence. When she did not, she replaced her sword and turned to face Maun. "He's gone. Now," she gazed intently at him, "I ask of you: are you my Master?"

"Tell me something" Chrom asks Gilgamesh "If you truly have all of the worlds treasures, what use in the grail to you?"

"Its a simple matter of pride. All treasures without question came from my treasure house, and the grail is a treasure so it is mine. So anyone trying to take the grail is little more then a thief"

***

"You do interest me" Caster says "I have tried many times to give life to object and only once have I succeeded, but you are an object given life that has ascended into the throne of hero's. So tell me, how did your master give you life?"

Maun takes a moment to process what he just saw. He gives a small nod, and stands up. "I don't know. I might be. They always said someone would come to help."

Troy was liking this guy less and less. He fantasized briefly about how he and their minor army were going to kill him. The phrase "Hiroshima suntan" sprang to mind.

***

"Ninurta was a god, Caster. Even I never understood the true scope of his power."

***

Saber blinked, visibly confused. She thought she understood well enough what was going on - the Grail's information was very helpful in that regard - but she had no wish for the Grail. Therefore the only way she should have been summoned was if a mage had intentionally done so. If her Master didn't know what was going on, he couldn't possibly have meant to summon her specifically. Something was wrong.

Nevertheless, it was now her duty to win the Grail for him. She curtsied before responding. "I am Jeanne d'Arc. In this war I have been summoned as a Saber-class Servant." Jeanne, having identified herself, paused for a moment before continuing. "Do you need me to explain anything else?"

Maun gives her a blank stare. "Ah.... Yeah? Who the bloody hell was that, what the hells is going ON!"

"So just because you once own'd it it remains to be yours?" Robin asks "Empires fall every day, and your day is long past"

Gilgamesh looks at Robin and a small gate appears behind the gold servant "You will die painfully rat"

"I doubt that very much" Robin says looking around and at the sky "This night is no longer young, I guess its time for you all to leave"

Chrom, Arturia, Edward and Elizabeth get up. Lancer stays where he was and starts chuckling to himself "This will be more fun then I thought" he says disappearing

***

"Never the less, such a miracles can only be done by those with the conviction to give everything to do them" He starts molding the stone in his hands "Do you have any affinity for magic?"

Troy stood up too and started to leave - after a glance at Chrom to remind the latter to trail Gilgamesh if possible.

***

"Not as much as you'd think." Sharur was, technically, a being of magic even prior to becoming a Servant. That wasn't to say she could weave spells properly - she would be able to perform simple tasks but nothing truly meaningful.

***

Jeanne sighed. Just as she'd suspected, her Master was completely clueless. "You have been selected to compete in the Holy Grail War. Every sixty years, the Grail - not the real one, but an all-powerful wish granting object - manifests in this world and chooses seven worthy mages to fight for its wish." 

She indicated Maun's right hand - on the back was a tripartite red design, reminiscent of a fleur-de-lis. "Each chosen mage receives three Command Seals, powerful magic spells that allow them to summon and to some extent control a Heroic Spirit - a Servant. Each one fits into one of seven classes: Saber, Archer, Lancer, Caster, Assassin and Berserker. For this War, I am the Saber class - your would-be murderer was Archer."

Jeanne paused again before continuing. "It's probably best if you refer to me by my class instead of my true name. Servants' strengths and weaknesses can be identified if you know their name."

Chrom nods and as he leaves he goes into sprit form

***

"Then other then summon a body for yourself what magic can you do?"

"Mostly only basic spells. However, as one of my Noble Phantasms I am capable of turning myself - my true body - into a manticore. That, I believe, may be why I was summoned as a Rider."

8888888888888

Troy, with Arturia presumably accompanying him, drove them back to the Minor Army's headquarters.

It all sort of made sense, in a no nonsense sense of sense, And EVEN THAT made sense to him. (Shows what kind of senses his senses have, am I right?) So he stood up, and gave her a small nod. "Saber, what... What sort of power do I have, and Why Should I use it. I never knew about this, never needed this. I don't want some sort of Godly grail. "

Chrom follows Gilgamesh to an underground church where many mages were stationed

***

Caster takes that in "That is an interesting gift indeed"

"First you introduce yourself as 'nobody important,' then you say my Noble Phantasm is merely interesting. Do you ever outright say things?" Sharur was genuinely curious, not annoyed.

***

"I don't know. Clearly you have some sort of magic talent, but I doubt you have any training - you wouldn't need me to explain this if it were so. As for the Grail..." Saber shrugged, looking mildly embarrassed, "I have no wish to make on it either."

She was silent for a moment, before speaking up again, looking troubled. "Master, I believe we should seek the Grail anyway. The amount of damage someone could do if they used it for evil..." Jeanne let the sentence trail off there. She honestly didn't know how she could describe it.

"Normally no" he says outright

Troy raided his Mountain Dew stash, taking care to offer both Arturia and Elizabeth a can before heading back to the carrier.

***

Sharur didn't respond, merely filing the information away as a clue to Caster's identity.