[M] Fate/Abyss (IC)

[Snotgirl]

Caution had to be exercised tonight. Rider was out of commission for the next 24 hours. That meant Maria was extremely vulnerable to anyone left with a Servant. Basically, just Assassin. Under normal circumstances, Maria wouldn't have needed to worry with Rider about. Assassin would have presented no challenge. But every since Caster...

The cot creaked as Maria went to lie down. Putting her hands behind her head, she stared at the darkened ceiling. The cracked concrete soon blurred away as she fell into the throes of sleep. Her breath soon evened out and her chest rose and fell with the rhythm of her heart.

Pure silence fell over the abandoned factory, with nothing but the sound of singing bugs and her own breathing to keep Maria company.

Suddenly, a small gust of cold air smattered in the side of Maria's head. Maria shot upright and grabbed for the Beretta pistol hidden underneath her pillow. The bounded field went off. There were no figures in the room, thankfully. No one had infiltrated the building and the field had activated. Probably not a Magi--no.

Maria shouldn't take any chances. If it were Assassin who tripped the field, then they were a very clumsy assassin. As for a Magi, it was entirely possible that they tripped it on purpose, as a sign of their appearance. Either way, Maria would need more firepower than the 9 millimeter pistol in her hand.

Sheets rustling, Maria quietly got off the cot and made her way across the room to the metal table, with not a single footfall being heard. The M4 assault rifle should be a good match for anyone, even for that ridiculously underpowered Servant.

Her fingers barely brushed against the cold steel when a voice resounded throughout the room, "A futile action. And you call yourself a Magus?"

Maria snapped around, pistol trained at the darkened shape, a figure standing confidently alone in the room. How did they manage to sneak up on me? It was only less than a minute since the field had warned Maria of the intruders.

There were actually two figures. One was definitely a Magi, the other.....something else entirely. The power they gave off was like that of a Servant yet, there should only be one Servant left, and this one didn't look like they wielded a rifle. Shit.

Had Maria's carelessness gotten the best of her? Whatever. If at all possible, I'll take this Master down with---

"I'm not here to fight, Master. I'm here to offer up terms." The woman spoke coldly, regarding Maria with a piercing that stare that could even be felt in the dark, "Whether or nor you accept them is up to you. But be warned; you will die if you refuse."

Live or die. What a stellar range of choices. Maria had no choice but to hear this woman out. Slowly lowering her pistol, Maria licked her lips nervously, "Fine, what do you want?"

"I want you to win."

...what?

"I come from the Association. I'm aware that you were once part of it, but whether or not you actually align yourself with them is of no concern to me. What the Association wants is the Grail, and I will get it for them."

Maria couldn't agree to those terms. She actually needed the Grail, unlike that dusty old organization, "I need the Grail."

That's all she was going to say. If this unknown person wanted to take the Grail from Maria, then she would die doing so.

A single sigh escaped the other woman's lips, "I suppose I bluffed. Unfortunately, I do require your aid. Then we need new terms. I will help you win the Grail. Whichever one of us gets to keep it will be decided on a one on one battle."

That favored Maria. There was no way she could say no to this offer.

The woman continued, "I'm aware that you can't summon your Servant again. We were watching the battle, so I'll give you a fighting chance. A fake magus like you would have no chance of winning anyway. What do you say?"

Finally holstering the gun, Maria stepped forward.

"Fine."

[Rhomeo]

“Are you ready, then?”

“Yes, Father.”

Rising from the altar, Lancer turned to his Master. The cloth covering his eyes hid most of the emotion on his face, but Lachlan knew that he was prepared. There was no other choice, after all. This was the end of the War, one way or the other. Either he would die fighting this final foe, or they would win and his allies would claim the Grail.

“Do you really intend on letting them take the Grail?” Lancer questioned, peeking into the priest's mind.

“Maybe. Maybe not. It won't matter unless we win, Lancer. So let's win and end this Grail War,” O'Riley grinned. “In our favour.”

---

“Why do you think Lachlan abandoned us here, if not to claim the Grail as soon as it's summoned?”

“In all technicality, we already have it,” David pointed out, looking down the rows of seats to the Grail atop the center fixture. “We're just waiting for it to activate. When it does, though...”

“What's wrong? Getting cold feet?” the bandaged man laughed.

Well, it was more accurate to call him nothing more than a man, now. The bandages that had been covering his body were now discarded, revealing the toned body underneath. Strange markings, something similar to tattoos, were scrawled across every inch of his skin. That was part of the reason why David felt so uneasy. This man was more than a mere Servant. He was unbelievably weak, but there was... more. Far more.

He was still O'Riley's Servant, too.

“It's nothing,” David sighed, taking a seat and closing his eyes. “I'm going to double check my Fields. It wouldn't surprise me if that woman split her efforts. The Grail is too precious to give up, after all.”

Axel remained standing with his back resting against a pillar near the alter. He casually tossed the pocket watch in his right hand, his left hand remaining in his pocket. Even with his eyes closed, he could perfectly picture the immense signature of power coming from the Lesser Grail upon the fixture.

The hour of telling grew closer and closer, and every tick of the watch felt nothing short of shattering to his hand. Every time that it landed in his palm, he felt Rider's blades draw ever closer to his skin. Even with this artifact and David's assistance, such a Servant would be impossible to stall. Let us hope that O'Riley does not fail in his endeavor.

The watch landed again in his palm, and he closed his fingers around the cold, yet energetically buzzing steel. It almost felt as if whatever incredible magic that resided in the watch knew what fate the Grail held for it, and like a captured beast, it trembled with a relentless fury. Enough of this.

The red-haired mage straightened from the pillar as David took a seat and quietly patrolled the chapel. "Let me know if anything pops up. I'll handle it."

---

"We're going through the front door."

"Excuse me, could you repeat that again?"

Red threw a contemptuous glance at Maria, a single sigh escaping her lips. Arms crossed, she turned back towards the church, a safe 400 meters away. The church on the hill cast a somber shadow in the light of the moon, a mere precursor of the destruction about to take place tonight.

"I don't understand you. Assaulting their base head on is the epitome of stupidity. But you're asking us to do it without your demon?"

True to Maria's word, only the forms of her and Red could be made out. Gaap was nowhere in sight. It wasn't a matter of distance either. Gaap had been completely recalled back to hell, pouting as Red severed the temporary contract.

This had been done without any sort of warning for Maria. In fact, the "cooperation" between the two had been nigh on nonexistent. Based on Red's attitude, Maria surmised that she was to simply follow Red's lead. As far as Red was concerned, Mara was nothing more than an add on, support, or even a mere pawn in the scheme to Red's victory.

"I'm more than enough of a Magus to make up for your...lack of talent. Despite having your family's crest, your knowledge of magic is nothing more than fundamental." Red casually cut to the heart of the matter, "Based on your experiences with other Magi, it's clear that you are out of your element."

Rolling her eyes, Maria stood in silence as the lofty tones of the evidently superior Red rolled off of her.

"You've fought one on one with three Magi, one who was even capable of casting High Thaumaturgy on a moment's notice. I am impressed with your survival rate, but that's all you've done. Survive."

Red clearly forgot about Maria's killing of Lancer's Master, but she did concede Red had a point. Her success rate in the slaying of Master's had been less than exemplary. That didn't stop Maria from getting mildly annoyed.

"I understand. You're better than me. If that's the case, why aren't we attacking then?"

They hadn't just arrived. They'd been standing around for the better part of an hour, waiting on Red as she observed the church.

"Contrary to what you believe, we aren't attacking alone. I will be summoning a demon. A demon far more powerful than even Gaap, a Prince of Hell. Unfortunately, his asking pride is always a tad too much, but Gaap thinks she can convince the demon to help us for free."

"So when we finally get around to attacking, we've just gotta hope that when you summon the demon, he'll be willing to help out?"

"It's a risk that has to be made. They have the Grail. I have no doubt about that. They don't have to do a damn thing, just wait for you to go to them. Anyway, the demon will more than likely be buying time until Rider is finally ready to materalize. That damnable priest seems to a talent for killing demons."

Probably out gunned, attacking the enemy in their own base, and going in with the uncertainty of having any reinforcements and--

"This is just gonna be great, isn't it?" Maria sighed.

Rather out of the blue, the sound of great doors opening caught the attention of the two women. Out walked the figure of both Lancer and O'Riley, looking rather regal in what little light was available. Wrapped around the priest's hands were bandages, those that had been on the other man for so long. It was a shroud, after all, so there was no point in not using it now - on the climax.

"Of all the people I expected, you weren't one of them," the priest states rather blankly, staring down Red. "It's no matter. Alone, neither Lancer nor I stand much of a chance of victory. It's a shame for you, then, that God has blessed us with the opportunity to work together."

Fragments of blue coalesced together within Lancer's hands to form his trademark lance. It was a beautiful weapon, but that was small play compared to its power. Even under an impotent Master such as O'Riley, he was still powerful. Powerful enough to defeat a Magus, however strong they were.

"You've trespassed on this holy ground long enough. We will not abide your transgressions any longer," Lancer called out, falling into a ready stance. "You have one chance and one chance only to leave. Any further disrespect to the Mediator will end in your deaths."

Click. A compact submachine gun suddenly appeared in Maria's hand. The two had certainly made their entrance, yet a simple glance at Red's face dispelled any grandeur they might have had. Red looked simply bored. Even at the prospect of facing a Servant one on one.

Despite Red's apparent confidence, Maria knew they were at a disadvantage. The priest had the combat capability to nearly kill a Prince of Hell, and the Servant was, well, a Servant. Not only that, it was Lancer.

"Would you look at that. You failed to eliminate the Servant alongside the Master." Disgust was evident in Red's voice, "Your usefulness as an ally begins to dip lower and lower"

Maria kept her silence. There was no point in arguing, even though she wanted to, especially in front of the enemy.

"Are you going to summon your demon, or are you going to bitch all night?"

"Don't get mad." Red replied mildly to Maria's annoyed tone, "Just cover me for a moment. I really only need a few seconds at most."

"Understood."

With that, the smg snapped up in the direction of the priest, and roared. A dozen 9mm bullets were already flying at Lachlan in the space of a second.

Almost with no apparent effort on his part, Lancer took a single step to the side and raised his lance. It blurred for a split second, filling the night with the sound of numerous ricochets. Being blind meant nothing for someone of his skill.

"As such, you have chosen death."

The ground beneath Lancer's feet cracked as he exploded forward, homing in straight towards Red. There was no threat in the other woman, not to his Master at least. Definitely not to him. She wanted to cover for this woman and he would make sure they didn't have that opportunity. He was a weapon in this moment, created for the instance of cutting this impudent woman's life short.

Staying behind, O'Riley rolled up his right sleeve. Imprinted into the skin was a swirling tattoo - no, a string of Command Seals. The thing that proved he was the Mediator of the Grail War. In the dim light, they glowed with an unearthly aura. Given the situation, his calm smile was almost chilling.

Of course, Maria thought with resignation as the bullets were deflected. It wasn't even a fair fight to begin with. Two Magi vs a Servant and a Priest with the power to kill a Prince of Hell? Ridiculous. As Lancer launched himself at Red, Maria noticed the abundance of tattoos--no, Command Seals.

One thing after another. Completely ignoring Lancer, Maria raised the gun and fired at Lachlan. A futile gesture, to be sure, yet Maria couldn't sit back and do nothing.

A red circle had already formed in front of Red, swirling crimson text and shapes inhabiting the large circle. Unlike Gaap's summon, this circle was in the air, pointed at the charging Lancer. As he reached within a few feet with his hellish speed, the circle began to glow a deep crimson.

The piercing sound of a birds' cry filled the air, so loud that Maria ears began ringing.

A form shot out of the summoning circle, a blur of feathers and raging flame, towards Lancer, emitting another piercing cry as it extended its claws and amplified the heat of its flame.

Raising his other arm, the priest deflected each and every bullet that honed in on him. At the summoning of the demon, however, his brow furrowed.

"Lancer, by this Command Seal I order you - activate your Noble Phantasm and defeat the enemy."

On top of the already ominous glow from Red's summoning circle, the shine from O'Riley's arm helped to engulf the night in red. As it burned off of his skin, Lancer responded in the only way he could. Taking one hand from his spear, he reached up and tore the blindfold off.

The demon paused for a moment as it heard Lachlan's words. Noble Phanatasms were always something to be feared, even from the weakest of Servants. Such as this Lancer. Yet it soldiered on, continuing its high speed aerial dash towards the Servant, huge wings breaking up dirt and dust from the ground.

Red furrowed her brow. She couldn't tell who the Demon was, exactly. This was one she had never seen summoned. An unknown demon was a dangerous thing. It meant they were too weak to be relevant, even if they carried the name of "Prince of Hell". Not only that, this demon didn't look like a demon, it looked more like--

"Is that a Phoenix?" Maria was awestruck despite herself. It was certainly a strong Phantasmal Beast, but Phoenixes weren't known for their close combat capability.

"It appears I've summoned a weak and dumb Demon." Red sighed with irritation.

Lancer barely even moved as the demon closed in, only making a dodge at the very last second. To the demon's surprise, and to everyone as a matter of fact, he dodged upwards. From his back, two angelic wings had sprouted. They were almost see-through, but they were definitely visible. To both of his sides, a total of six bright figures appeared. Each and every one held a long spear, all at the ready.

"Feel the judgement of Longinus, creature of hell!" he roared, falling down on top of the phoenix-like creature. The spear seemed to elongate and lengthen as he fell, dropping down the time the demon had to dodge significantly. From the sides, all six of the figures closed in as well, attempting to block off any hope of escape.

The bird didn't even try to escape. Instead, it tucked its wings and wreathed itself in flame. The fir went from yellow to red to blue, continually intensifying until the flame turned pure white. Rolling waves of heat emitted from the creature as the ground scorched black and stone cracked.

Oh shit. Maria stepped forward and activated her Mystic Code, the air around Maria and Red crackling a brilliant yellow before it receded into a nearly unseen gold around them. The demon clearly intended to take the Servant down with it.

Stepping forward, Red raised her hand, "You'll need a stronger barrier to survive this, I'm afraid."

Magic funneled into the Mystic Code, exponentially increasing its effectiveness as Red poured what seemed like an infinite amount of energy into it. Which was a relief, because it seemed like simply breathing the air would result in blackened and burnt lungs.

"Close your eyes, you don't want to be blinded after this." Red instructed nonchalantly. Maria had no choice but to obey, and soon the world turned pure white as the bird exploded into a fury of uncontrollable flames.

A second sun had arisen.

"John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water;" O'Riley began to chant as he crouched down to the ground. Around him, the world had become something akin to Hell. Even so, despite that, he had no choice but to continue. Even as the flames licked at his skin and began to sear through to the muscle. On his right arm, the collective Command Seals glowed a bright red. "But one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire!"

Two of the Command Seals disappeared from the priest's arm as a giant circle formed beneath the Phoenix. Even with no surface to print itself on, it simply existed. It glowed brightly and then... nothing.

At least, it felt like nothing.

Compared to what the world had just been like, it really did feel like pure emptiness in the sudden darkness. The sheer amount of destruction from those few seconds was incredible, enough so that even the Church had sustained damage. O'Riley himself was alive, but he didn't look it. The only part of him that remained undamaged were his fists, covered in the red bandages from earlier. Lancer was nowhere to be seen.

"So, you win the War then," O'Riley stated matter-of-factly as he stood up, unwrapping the cloth from his hands. "Congratulations, Maria. Although your victory was nothing more than one of chance, secured for you by someone of greater skill than even myself, it seems."

With the majority of the cloth removed, he began wrapping it around his torso which was now bare. Most of his skin had been burnt off, but he didn't seem to care. It was almost more terrifying than staring down a Servant.

"Now only one thing stands between you and victory. The Grail itself was moved to the city hall, not that far from here. Go and claim your prize; if you can. However, I only permit Maria to leave. You, summoner, you have caused too many problems for this war. You are a liability. A problem. A nuisance. You might have weakened me, but I have more than enough strength left in this body to stop you from interfering any further."

O'Riley stared directly into Maria's eyes.

"You. Go. Your fight is elsewhere now. Hurry before I decide you're no longer worthy of the Holy Grail. Sometimes the luckiest of us are the strongest in their own right."


To say such an overwhelming victory was...unexpected, would be an understatement. Lancer had clearly suffered a debilitating drain on his power under his newfound Master. But Lachlan's sudden change of heart confused Maria. A part of her thought it was a trap. Another part of knew he had no reason to lie.

"Stop me?" For a moment, Red's face was shining with pure surprise and astonishment, as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing, "You think to stop me?"

Suddenly, her face transformed, as rage and anger twisted it, "Yes, go on Maria. I'll be with you shortly." Red lift her arm, a tinge of ethereal red glowing off her slowly faded, "It seems you've desummoned my demon. Someone even more powerful than Gaap"

Red shook her head in disgust, "It seems that Maria isn't the only lucky one. Who'd have thought one of the Masters could turn the priest to their side? With a full complement of Command Seals, a that?"

An aura of power soon began to emanate off of both her arms. One was crimson red while the other a whitish-blue. Simultaneous spellcasting.

---

Maria turned and ran towards the city hall. A small part of her hoped that Red would die in this fight. She was a force to be reckoned, and someone that Maria would have little chance to beat in a fair fight.

Wind whipped through her hair as she ran through the deserted streets. It was almost like a stage, quiet before the storm, as they say. The war would end tonight, one way or another.

Standing before the great stone building, Maria ran a quick mental checkthrough of her equipment. She'd come prepared lightly, having realized that Red would be doing the bulk of the battling. It shouldn't matter either way. She'd done well enough against this Master before, albeit with a bit of planning.

She took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. One breath before the plunge. Then Maria shoved the large doors open, giving way to a rather cavernous entrance hall. And one figure she recognized from before.

"Axel."

There he was, leaning against a pillar to the side of the entrance. Both hands were tucked into his pockets, and his gaze, although previously downward, rose to focus upon the newcomer. Maria. So the Overseer was unsuccessful. Straightening from the pillar, he walked towards the center of the hall, both hands still concealed. They were silent for a moment before Axel halted, his echoing footsteps dissipating.

"We meet again, Maria." Axel centered his chin, his stare unyielding upon the woman. "But if you knew what was good for you...for this whole world, you will step down. I'm taking the Grail. You don't understand what's at stake here." His jaw clenched in concentration as he mentally compared for the oncoming conflict. "Please, leave. Otherwise, this world is finished."

I'm begging you, go. I don't want to fight you.

The gun rustled as Maria pointed the submachine gun in Axel's direction, her own gaze hard as stone, eyes cold as steel. Clack. The black gun was not barrel heavy. Good, I still have a fair amount of ammo left.

"Standing between me and an omnipotent wish granting device, is a singular Master without their Servant...and you want me to leave?"

She could have laughed.

Axel remained steady at the sight of the weapon, his defenses prepared. David is in position, as is the other one. The Grail is not yet ready, but will be soon. We just need a little more time. His chest rose and fell with a heavy breath, his frown deepening upon Maria.

"Regardless of what you try to do, the Grail is not yours anymore, and never will it be. I'm offering you a chance to leave with your life intact." A dust of air gently brushed a lock of hair across his forehead. "If you choose otherwise, I cannot guarantee that."

His eyes twinkled with practiced determination. "You may have defeated my Servant, but I have won the Grail War."

Even in the darkness, one could almost see the shadow tangibly darken over Maria's face. Her grip tightened on the gun, but she restrained herself. Axel wasn't the only one baiting for time.

A golden shimmer in the air formed a wall between Maria and Axel. Clicking her tongue, Maria cast her eyes around the interior, scanning quickly about before her eyes darted back to Axel.

"You're an impressive enough Magi alone, but I can defeat you without heavy use of magic. Unless you have allies hidden once again?"

---

"What do you think?"

"Do it."

The man grinned.

---

"Yo, Axel," a voice calls, dragging the attention of the two Magi aside. "Leave this one to me. David needs you to use the Grail, remember? You're our last line of defense. Not the first."

From the shadows behind Axel walks out a man. Everything about him reeks of pure evil, but it's not overwhelming. No, it creeps under your skin and festers. Like a pustule.

"Risking my life is no worry. Yours is worth more, so head back and leave her to me."

From underneath the cloth around his waist, the Servant pulls two weapons free. They resemble claws, but they're so twisted and jagged it's almost impossible to call them anything other than chaotic. A grin comes to the figure's face as he dangles them both lazily at his side, staring at his prey.

This would be his first serious fight in the War, after all.

---

"But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and protect you from evil."

Lachlan's arm rose up, palm facing Red. Blood was starting to seep through the roughly-drawn bandages, betraying his wounds. He doubted he could win, however... if he stopped her, that's all that mattered. It's all that ever mattered. Another of the Command Seals on his arm disappeared, consumed by his verse. His outstretched palm grasped at something in the air just as it began to form; a silver shield, the size of the man's entire body.

"Come, member of the Association. I will show you the strength of faith."

---

Maria calmed her racing heart. Where does Axel keep pulling these allies from? The power drifting off of the tattooed man reminded her of a--

"Are you a Servant?"

Unlike her own Rider, this one just reeked of evil. It drifted through the air, an almost tangible smog that would threaten to overtake you should you drop your guard. Maria had been told that there was nothing truly good or evil. For the most part, she believed in it. But this man...it was like staring into the abyss itself, only to find its own eyes staring back.

"I suppose it doesn't matter. You're just someone else who has to die before the night is out." Her grip tightened on her gun, sweat moisturizing the slick handle. Determination flowed through Maria, eating away her doubts and leaving her with a feeling of certainty.

She would be victorious this night.

Snap. The gun clacked back and opened fire, spitting out a dozen hot rounds. Maria was sure the weapon wouldn't have too much of an effect. Nevertheless, she was using it to cover herself, unloading the gun as she advanced.

The dark exterior of the hall flashed bright over and over again.

---

"I don't need faith in anything except my own prowess." Red declared. This priest had been a thorn in her side every since she showed up here. He'd succeeded in downing two summoned demons. But no more. He would die, just like the rest, and she'll be able to claim the Grail for the Association soon.

Raising her hand, an abundance of mana surged through her Circuits, filling her with raw power. Flames appeared in the, hovering. Each one was as large as a small boulder, flickering in the night. The dozen fireballs flew up into the air, over Lachlan and proceeded to smash down onto him.

---

Axel dove to the side as Maria opened fire, pressing his back against a pillar as bullets cracked against drywall and wood. The appearance of David's comrade was as expected, but part of him wished that he could do the job himself and get it over with. The pressure is unbearable, but I must be patient. I can't risk my life with something so trivial.

The moment that the gunshots halted, Axel sprinted into the next room with a burst of air, blasting the door open. He traveled through the hallway as quickly as he could, making his way for the amphitheater where the Grail resided. He knew that should the bandaged man fall, then it was up to him and David to guard the Grail until it was ready.

He bust open the door of the amphitheater, scanning the room for any inconsistencies, magical or otherwise, that could've slipped when they prepared it. No, we're ready. He climbed onto the stage, watching the golden cup with eager eyes. What a beautiful sight it was, his greatest dream now corporeal.

The end is upon us. I will keep us safe.

---

Removing what remained of his coat, the priest tossed it up into the air to intercept the balls of fire as they came down. It was resistant to magic, but not of that caliber. Still, it was suitable as a one-time shield. With naught but the bandages and scraps of his underclothes to cover his decency, O'Riley charged forward. Fist pulled back, the Seals on his arm glowed with an unearthly aura.

"I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in front of all his people."

Starting from his fist and then travelling up his arm, it could only be said that O'Riley had set himself on fire. Even at a glance, however, it was easy to tell that it was a flame beyond that of Magi. It was a holy flame. Something that only the faithful could ever hope to achieve. Unnatural on a level that only the chosen few could understand. With his speed, Red had little chance of dodging.

It could be said her only chance was to kill him before he killed her.

---

Grinning, Avenger weaved his weapon through the air - knocking any and all bullets that tried to strike him down. It wasn't as though they'd do much damage to begin with, but it paid to be thorough. Rather lazily, he began to walk towards Maria's location, his teeth shining in the dimly lit room.

"I should probably tell you something, girl," he called out, eyes flashing. "I might be weak. Another Servant would tear me to shreds... but you? There's no way I can lose to a human. You're going to die here, girl. And when you're dead, I'm going to do things to your corpse that'll make you glad you're dead. How does that sound, huh? Too bad your Servant is so weak they can't even save you!"

I wouldn't bring up my Servant. It was only a matter of time, really. Two objects clanged down on either side of Avenger, emitting smoke. Another one clanged down to the far side of the hall. In a few seconds, the entire room was filled with a smokescreen.

Avenger glanced around, smiling. This was a paltry counter measure, one he could easily bypass. But winning too quickly wouldn't be any fun, now would it? He casually continued to walk forward where he last saw Maria.

On his left, a loud scraping sound caught his attention. Sounds like she can't see in her own smokescreen. Turning towards the noise, he only managed to walk forward one step before an explosion ripped through the hall.

A thousand ball bearings shot at Avenger, steel ball intent on ripping him to pieces.

---

This was that same damn speed. It wasn't a magic that Red could have ever claimed to have seen. She could only guess that it was something developed by the Church itself, granted to only the strongest of Executors and priests.

But he'd need more than that to kill Red. In terms of combat capability, Red stood above even Blue. Even without her demons, Red was still a force to be reckoned with. Only fools assumed she was incapable without a demon by her side.

Should I? No, we'll save that as a last resort. It would do to use her trump card on someone I could beat through sheer magic alone.

There was no way to avoid Lachlan's attack. How could she? Even Gaap had been caught unawares. Even if Red had some training in hand to hand, this was beyond her. So she did the only thing she could.

Lachlan was soon in grabbing distance, that much more closer to piercing her. Red leaned forward into the attack, and brought her hand up. Snap. For a moment, nothing happened.

Suddenly, the air around them pushed outwards in a flare as the amplified sound ripped around them. It was the equivalent of having stood next to an exploding artillery shell. And it happened right next to the priests' head.

With the sudden force, the fire surrounding O'Riley snuffed out as though it had never existed. On the surface, however, the Priest looked totally fine. He'd only been knocked back a meter or two, now almost within grabbing distance of the Magi. He didn't make a move against her, though, merely watching her.

"Wordless casting?" he narrowed his eyes. "You don't need those demons at all, do you?"

Both hands balled up into fists, the Priest stared her down. Time seemed to slow as the two watched each other, waiting to react to the other's move.

"If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."

All the Seals began to glow with light before burning out, one after the other. Even a normal person looking at him now couldn't help but tell what enormous power was brewing inside of him. For this was O'Riley's trump card. Before him, only one Executor had ever attempted it. For it required not only extreme faith; but sacrifice.

Lachlan's skin caught alight with white fire in moments. He raised his arms to the sky, closing his eyes. Yes, this was his end. But if it took her down with him - that was all he could ask for. As the fires consumed his flesh, he became more ash than human and fell apart. By the time the fire touched his very core, there was nothing left of him.

There was a brief moment of silence.

The area around the pair exploded into pure power, engulfing the surrounding area in a hellfire beyond that of even a Noble Phantasm. Everything within a 500 meter radius was totally destroyed, leveled without any resistance. Trees, stone, flesh, earth. Everything was consumed.

---

Avenger simply laughed.

The steel tore through his flesh like paper, but there wasn't a care on his face. This was nowhere near the pain he'd received through all of his torture. No, this was nothing.

Blood pouring from the numerous holes now across his body, the Servant continued walking towards Maria; maniacal grin plastered across his face.

"Any other tricks, girly? I hope you've got better, because I'm going to tear you apart."

The viciousness was enough to send a shiver down Maria's back. The darkness surrounding him was almost tangible, a smog of twisted malice and death. He was a different type of Servant. Forget the fact that there had already been 7 Servant's summoned, this thing's presence was a monstrosity, an abomination.

Even through the smoke, Maria felt the piercing eyes of the malevolent Servant. He was right. He didn't have the same sense of strength, the sheer durability, of Rider, but something about him was completely off. If Rider fought Avenger...it wouldn't be as easy as Avenger said it would be.

But she had no choice. Rider was her only chance of salvation. Not only that, it was just about time. Rider wouldn't be as strong as usual. This was pretty much the minimum requirement of regeneration Rider needed to manifest.

Let's go, Rider. There isn't a whole lot of time. The other Master is off to the Grail. I need you!

Of course, Master. You call and I shall answer. Rider's voice rang clear as a bell, strong and dependable. Maria nearly smiled. Rider's formality was comforting.

With that, white particles slowly began to gather in front of Maria, mana coalescing faster and faster until the entire room was swirling in a brilliant light. The bright caused Maria to turn her head away, and when she regained her sight...

There stood Rider. Her silver armor gleamed in whatever light had been left, her white cape fit snugly around her neck. Speed was her watchword and strength, her duty.

The cape rustled a bit as Rider turned her head towards Maria, long golden tresses flowing underneath her helmet, "I hope I didn't keep you long, Master."

"Of course not, Rider. This is just a warm up."

"I see. I think you have far more important matters to attend to. Allow me to clean up this mess." Rider's voice expressed her disgust.

"Thank you. But just one thing before I go." Maria raised her hand, the two remaining Command Seals forming a moon, and pointed it at Rider, "Rider, I order you to remain with me until the conclusion of this War."

A small smile tugged at Rider's lips, "What an unusual order. Were you not going to order to win this battle?"

"No, I have full confidence in your abilities. It's just I can't bear the thought of you fighting alongside me at your worst."

Indeed, strength and mana began to flow into Rider, as the red Seal disappeared, "I see. Well, you better get going."

Maria nodded and glanced at Avenger, who was only staring at Rider, "Don't worry about him, Master. If he so much as takes his eyes off of me, they'll be spitted on the end of my spear in a second."

Footsteps fell as Maria ran out of the room, towards the area where she'd last seen Axel. Her boots squeaked slightly on the floor as she ran.

Rider watched her Master leave out of the corner of her eye. Then her attention was focused solely on Avenger, "Your arrogance towards my Master will be paid in full. Someone equal of nature will now fight you."

The last words were enunciated with a sneer, alongside the materialization of her spear and shield.

"Ready yourself, abomination."

---

The area was completely devastated. Lachlan's self destruction had been similar to that of the phoenix demon, but far more destructive. The city and landscape suffered severe damage, everything charred, blackened, and otherwise destroyed.

Command Seals were a fearsome thing indeed. They essentially gave Magi expendable mana, free to use without loss of their own mana. This abhorrent destruction were a testament to that.

But they weren't enough to make up for pure talent and training. In the middle of it all, the eye of the of storm, stood Red. She was completely unharmed.

The air around her shimmered and she lowered her hands. The final wind barrier had nearly been breached. Gasping, Red stopped herself from collapsing. Her defenses had be composed of every basic element, yet that priest had almost killed her.

Command Seals were too formidable.

Catching her breath, Red stood up straight and turned around. Now, she only had to go claim her prize. The Holy Grail. As she turned, Red very nearly collapsed upon the scorched ground.

Her insides were screaming, and tears were nearly brought to her eyes. It felt like her Circuits had been scooped out of her, picked apart bit by bit.

She would need time to recover.

---

"It's been a while, Maria Abrams."

From the pillar beside the door stood David, cigarette in hand. Despite the fact that an enemy was standing there with a full view of them, he seemed quite composed.

"I'll admit, when we first met; I lied a little. I'm far more involved in this War than I let on, of course. You understand. Deception is one of the few tools I have available to me against an opponent like you."

He takes a long drag before pulling out another one, lighting it nonchalantly.

"Cigarette? Don't want to fight you if you're not ready for it," he smirks, throwing it towards her.

---

He'd lost his connection to Lachlan, huh? Fuck. He was fucked now. There was nothing he could do except die.

... yes, that was just it.

Avenger lowered himself to the ground, looking all the more like a beast rather than a man. There were no words, merely an intent to kill. To fight. To maim. She was stronger than him, they both knew that; but she was blissfully unaware of his true power. Really, who would expect such a weakling to contain such a dangerous trump card?

His grin turned feral as he roared a battlecry, charging at her. His oncoming blows would be fast. He had to push her, make her want to kill him. He had to.

Buying time wasn't enough any more. He needed... to die.

The swords hissed through the air, each strike savage and feral. Yet it wasn't enough. Rider had fought with Saber, quite possibly the only Servant capable of keeping up or even surpassing her. Their battle had lasted seconds, if only because of the sheer speed used.

But this? This was nothing. In fact, Rider felt underwhelmed. She didn't even need to use her shield. The swords swiped through empty air, never gaining purchase, never even came close to touching her cape.

This one was all talk, she realized. He wasn't lying. He was no match for Rider, or any Servant in the War, really. He only stood above Magi because of his status as a Servant.

Yet that darkness drifting off of him unnerved Rider. It was far more voluminous than his battle strength. It was still wrong. Horribly so. But she couldn't let that stop her. Maria still needed her.

A pair of attacks quickly caught Rider's eyes as it left an opening. Simply stepping back, Rider pushed forward after the twin blows, and smashed her shield into Avenger's chest, intent on driving him backwards.

Rider quickly cast her senses outwards. Her Master had stopped moving entirely. What was she...?

---

"It's fine. Nothing really surprises me at this point." Maria shook her head and smiled halfheartedly, "Your side managed to convince the overseer to help them. Not only that, you saved a Servant and seemingly summoned another one."

Maria caught the cigarette between her forefinger and thumb. She glanced at it for only a moment before returning her look to the man in front of her, "So, hearing that one Magi who claimed he wasn't participating in the War, but actually is isn't exactly the most breath taking thing to have happened to me tonight."

She deliberated for only a moment before inserting the cigarette into her mouth, unlit. Maria didn't need it at the moment. Hardly any magic had been expended by her, and she might as well have been at full strength.

"Your friend Lachlan was right. I suppose I really am lucky." With that, an incantation was sounded and Maria disappeared into the darkness, a shroud of shadow having been pulled over her person. What would be his response?

"Luck has nothing to do with it, Abrams. It's all about careful planning and execution. Still, I have to admit I feel a bit sorry for you, walking into our trap like this," David states matter-of-factly.

Even despite the fact that his opponent just up and disappeared, he didn't seem worried. He took one final drag on his cigarette before dropping it, crushing it underfoot. So sure of his victory was he that he didn't even need it at this point. Yes, now he could fight like he'd always intended on doing from the start.

"I thought I'd mention; you've already stepped over seventeen of my twenty five fields. Shall I activate them for you?"

David extended his arm and then brought it down vertically before it glowed with an unearthly light. His Family Crest extended its light over the area, causing the outlines of the fields to glow as well. He hadn't been lying. Centered on him were exactly twenty five circles of varying sizes, with eight of them being either extremely or relatively close to his body. The other seventeen were spread out across the area, taking up the majority of the room. One of them wasn't even visible, likely being nothing but a detection field.

One of them changed colour from blue to gold, signalling its activation. It was a simple field in itself, all it did was put extreme weight and fatigue on anyone caught inside it. Another lit up moments after, creating a small circular outline on a seemingly random spot on the floor.

"You think you can hide from me? In your dreams!"

---

Having had enough force exerted on him to fly back, Avenger sailed through the air and crashed into a pillar; knocking it down. Coughing up blood, he pushed himself up with the grin still intact.

"Is that all you got, you bitch? I'll fuck you up!"

He raised his claws and leaped forward with more speed than before. Yes, he could force himself to extents no human could even imagine. It was nowhere near the level of that Servant, but... if she got frustrated enough and ended him...

Blood spilled onto the ground as he crouched down and leaped up at her, lips snarled and body tense.

---

Those Fields would forever annoy her. The first time she had battled with David had felt ages ago, despite it only being a few days. That just went to show how long this War had been dragging out. Considering the fact that David had achieved High Thaumaturgy, she'd just assumed those fields from before were defensive in nature, seeing as he was setting up a base there.

Fatigue was already starting to wear on her. Luckily for Maria, she was just as fresh for battle as David was. Her endurance was rather high. Patrolling hot and humid plains under the threat of constant death for the last few years would do that to you. Those could be dealt with.

A crush of sudden dread overcame her. Judging from David's expression, he'd been affected by it too. It was similar to the aura Avenger gave off. But unlike him, this wasn't a cloud of despair seeping under your skin; this was despair itself. One couldn't see it tangibly, it felt instinctual.

And it was coming from further in, presumably where Axel had run. Was it the Grail? No, it can't be! There was still one more Ser---Then, it only dawned on Maria that the last opposing Servant had died. At this point, she'd technically won. By that logic, the Grail should already be mine and activating for the final wish. Shit.

She'd been so blinded at the prospect of facing new enemies she'd totally forgotten that the ones who mattered had already perished. The Grail was active. That means she could literally only have minutes or even seconds left. David was nothing more than the rear holder, a probably sacrifice.

Dammit. Rider, forget Avenger. Come to me, now!

Maria's voice rang inside Rider's head, causing her to lose focus. Seeing his chanve, Avenger leapt at Rider, his dirty blades whizzing through the air at her neck. A triumphant smile on his face.

Understood, Master. With that, Rider disappeared from view. She was too quick for Avenger, the battle had made it clear. Not only that, he wasn't worth the time. He was a danger to her Master, no doubt, but nothing more than a nuisance for Rider.

The ground cracked underfoot from the sheer force, and a blur rushed towards Maria's presence. Maria's heart was pounding. How could she be so stupid? Never in the whole war had Maria felt this fear. The fear of fighting for absolutely nothing. If she allowed Axel the wish, then this would all be for naught.

In stark contrast to her take off, Rider's arrival landed with a light tap. Before David stood Rider, the Servant of the Chariot. His Fields were insignificant, only drawing her attention due to the fact that they were draining Maria.

"Let's go, Rider. We're pushing past him. Forget about killing him, the important one is further back!"

Rider nodded and grabbed what looked like thin air. The shadow around Maria crumbled as Rider wrapped her carefully in her sable white cloak. Then they were gone. Nothing more than a whisper as they fled further down the hall.

Unperturbed by Rider's sudden appearance, David merely pulled out what remained of his cigarette supply. Five rolled pieces of paper, infused with prana. In unison, every one of his fields glowed brightly. Escaping as they were, they didn't notice the sudden flux of power around him.

“Door de kracht van mijn kennis,
En de kracht van mijn toewijding.
Ik vraag dit middel van de wereld,
Neem mijn werkelijkheid en maken het geheel.
Laplace's Demon!”

4 of the people inside the City Hall suddenly found themselves plucked from reality and deposited into a world of seemingly infinite numbers. Drained, David knelt on the floor; panting. Avenger was confused for only a moment before he stood in front of the man. Strangely enough, there were no numbers on the area he was standing - instead, it was only a black void.

"Woah, thought you could run huh?" Avenger laughed, dropping his two weapons. "Too bad. Thanks David, guess this is it, huh?"

The man didn't reply, hunched over as he was. He was obviously putting everything he had into maintaining the Reality Marble, but there were already signs of it crumbling. At least to anyone with knowledge of mathematics. Irrational numbers appeared more and more frequently, mirroring the man's state of mind. Similarly, Avenger looked uncomfortable. His Master had died, after all, so there was no prana flow. He was only a walking shell waiting to be crushed, now.

David had saved Axel mere seconds. At best. Would it be enough?

Goddammit. Maria's frustration was starting to pickup. These two were barely clinging to life, yet their stubborn attempts to drag Maria down with them were only enraging her more and more.

Only one glance at Maria's face told Rider all she needed to do. Kill the one who'd initiated this Marble. That meant David was the priority. Her cloak whipped behind her as she dashed towards David.

"Not on my watch, bitch." A frenzied smile was on Avenger's face as he readied his weapons, stepping between Rider and her intended target. Avenger, like the nuisance he was, was simply stalling for time.

Her face hardening, there was a flash of bright light, and in Rider's hand was her silver longsword. Duck underneath his predicted blows, Rider held out her sword and fwip. The blade cut through both of his legs like butter.

Avenger emitted no cry as his sudden collapse brought him to the floor amidst an increasingly alarming puddle of blood. Without breaking her stride, Rider continued on towards David.

A flash of silver raced towards his chest.

Without any way to dodge, David is impaled. The strike is strong, but not enough to kill him in an instant.

Not checking that Avenger was dead would be her downfall, however.

From behind her rose a creature that... definitely wasn't Avenger. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say the 'human' wasn't Avenger. This was his true form. Rather than go for Rider, however, the creature dropped to all fours and charged at Maria. Blood leaked from David's mouth as he smiled. The beast already had information on everyone in the Marble, that's how he'd set up. All the information was being downloaded straight into its mind. Even he could fight Rider defensively if he tried, but he knew.

There was no way for her to turn back in time.

Maria's eyes widened and she took a step back on instinct. Her head jerked back in fear before she regained control of her faculties. The fear was soon replaced by determination, and Maria grit her teeth. Avenger was still a Servant. Weak, but one nonetheless.

A shimmer of gold enveloped Maria. Which was promptly shattered by Avenger. Her Mystic Code had failed against the new form of Avenger. Maria had two last resorts, one of which should be expended in the direst of circumstances. The twisted Servant wasn't worth it. She still had one more option left.

Lines of white and blue began to run down the length of back and shoulders, mana flowing through her circuits and Crest. More brilliant gold covered Maria, but instead of a sphere, it hugged her body, becoming almost transparent in the seconds before Avenger struck.

Aegis, the Shield of the Abrams, was the defensive magic her family had spent their lives perfecting. It was stronger than the Mystic Code. As the monsters claws descended on Maria, Aegis flashed white and repelled the attack. The mana drainage was more severe than expected, and Maria flinched.

Rider!

Rider unceremoniously dumped David's body onto the ground, and shot forward at Avenger. The continuous blows were caught by the iron clad defense of Rider's personal skill. Rider raised her blade and began a series of blows intent on blowing Avenger back.

You don't have long now, Master. Get back before the other one claims the Grail.

David's Reality Marble had deposited them outside the city hall. The distance wasn't awfully far, so Maria still held out on the hope she could make it back in time. Turning tail, Maria ran through the streets back into the hall.

[TheDoctor]

Axel's attention returned to the grail as he felt its mana signature suddenly skyrocket. The omniscient wish-granter, now floating inches from the center table of the stage, had acquired a dull golden glow upon its metallic skin. Dark crimson, almost black fluid bubbled from the center of the previously empty cup, filling to the brim with an inky, blood-like substance. Its aura was incredible to behold as the air filled with a distinguishable magical buzz.

The Grail is ready for my wish.

The pocketwatch in his left hand shifted, held from the floor by only his paralyzed fingertips. Axel blinked at the object of power, awestruck at his distant dream finally mere inches away from him. Finally, he could save this world from the horror that awaited it, the Aylesbury Ritual, Crimson Moon. The human race would remain safe from the scars of magic upon their numbers, altering all of the past, present, and future to accommodate for the countless lost lives. With our fates no longer decided, we may finally create a world safe for our children. It's over now. I did it.

With his right hand, Axel reached for the Grail.

Footsteps pounded from behind Axel, muffled by the crimson carpeted floor. An out of breath Maria sped around the corner, chest heaving and a bead of sweat running down her brow. The moment she saw Axel, horror dawned on her face as she realized what was about to happen. There was no time to think.

Lines of light ran up and down Maria's back as her Circuits activated. Stepping forward, her entire shot towards Axel in a blast of air. Her feet didn't touch the ground. She's essentially fired herself out of a cannon. Wind whipping through her hair, Maria braced herself for impact as her target, Axel, began to slowly turn around.

"No!"

A pulse of prana ignited from the depths of the archaic watch, and silence enveloped Axel's ears as time was brought to an absolute halt. The attuning had been a knee-jerk reaction, of course, to Maria's interruption. He immediately reached for the Grail, which radiated beyond the tides of time. Such an object was not limited to the past, present, or future, but was omnipresent. But in the moment that he touched the Grail, he saw movement beside him.

Maria had grabbed his wrist before he could halt time.

Maria was in the timestream with him.

The look of shock upon Axel's face as he turned to Maria within the timestream betrayed his fear coming to fruition. Damn it all! A moment later, both of them had vanished from the city hall, and the cup was left alone.

The world fell into darkness, more damning than the deepest pit of hell. For a moment, Maria flailed helplessly in the never ending darkness, nothing solid beneath her feet as she fell. Then suddenly a blue sky flashed along a bright expanse of yellow tall grass.

Disoriented, Maria stood up and looked around. This was a place most familiar to her. She'd spent some years here. Sierra Leone. The hot sun shone down on them, relentless in its assault. Trees were sparse. But something felt wrong.

The entire world felt grainy, as if she were looking at it through a hazy television screen with poor reception. I was just fighting for the Grail. Where...? The wind streamed almost violently, almost forcing her to acknowledge the presence behind her. She knew who it was before she turned around.

"Axel." She spat the name from her lips.

Axel glowered at her from behind, the winds of the new mysterious setting billowing his coat tails. Strands of black hair blew across his forehead wildly at the will of the air, but his crimson eyes remained unyielding. Raising the pocketwatch, he ignited the prana within, prepared to finish--

It's not working. We must be outside of the manipulatable timestream.

With a reluctant, pained sigh, he tossed the pocket watch away to hit the sand beneath them. It was useless to him in this peculiar realm, and after his wish was achieved, no magic would exist for him to use with the watch. The countless years that he had spent studying that small cluster of near-True magic was all for naught now, but, of course, he had already come to terms with that upon the decision of his desired wish. That didn't make the moment any less significant for him. His biggest secret, his finest crutch, reduced to a trinket.

It was just a broken pocket watch now. Nothing more.

Returning his attention to Maria, Axel took a deep breath. "Maria." If we're outside of the timestream after touching that Grail, then that means... "You know this place, don't you?"

The gleam of his pocketwatch caught her eye as it fell. Before she grasped Axel and Grail, she'd felt mana emit from the thing. Was that a Mystic Code? But the way he dropped it....did he not have any use for it? The tension in her stance drained as Axel himself peered about the world.

"Yes, I recognize this place. For me, it was a source of constant death and the extremes of life. I may not have been the best Magus, but the tricks of my trade were honed here." The heat on her face felt real. As did the wind and touch of grass. Yet Maria instinctively knew it wasn't. Was this an illusion? If so, it was almost a perfect copy.

"This place...is almost too real. In fact the only thing it's missing is--" Maria closed her eyes and sent her senses outward from her body. Nothing. Only the breeze was audible. As she concentrated, sounds could suddenly be heard. They started as a low buzz, then got steadily louder and louder. The ground began to rumble and voices could be heard, shouting.

Something cracked throughout the plains. Followed by another. And another. An explosion rocked the ground far from the pair, kicking up dirt and grass. showering them even from that distance. Some of the shouting voices, all in a foreign tongue, began to cry out in pain as the crackling sounds evolved into full fledged automatic gunfire. The ground rumbled as mechanical tanks rolled off in the distance.

"---just the sounds of war." Maria finished, taking her eyes off of Axel and watching the battle from afar. Yes, this was definitely a setting she was used to. More comforting than the gentle winds. More familiar than the hearth of home. It was war.

Axel gazed upon the far battleground, breathing in the dry air of what he could only assume to be the memories of Maria. This was undoubtedly a part of her past, an important part according to her serene demeanor. Yes, a soldier in the Gulf War, according to her file. And yet, she deserted for Africa...

A stray explosion burst nearby, yet neither of them flinched. It was only a memory, a resemblance of the past that had no ability to harm them...well, at least physically. Axel wondered what the woman saw in the depths of that battlefield, what her perception was of the concept of warfare. Her stature implied absolute comfort in the environment, so he ruled out disgust. It's almost as if warfare is an escape for her...but an escape from what?

His eyes strayed from the distant struggle back to Maria as he disturbed her peace. "What happened here?"

Maria shrugged her shoulders in response, "Who knows? A breach of peace. Religious or national fanaticism. Perhaps even a well worded insult. Progression has stymied due to the nonsensical warfare. Could be the government's fault, or some other countries."

She kicked up a bit of sand mixed with dirt, marveling at the perfect recreation, "But it didn't matter. None of it did. I wasn't here for rhyme or reason."

The unintelligible screaming and yelling was drawing even closer than before, the artillery pocking the ground more and more often. Shrapnel whizzed through the air with only bullets to keep them company. Blood was soaking into the sand at Maria's feet, despite nothing actually being around her.

A sigh escaped her lips and she watched the ground around her turn from crimson red to black. The grass went from yellow to a deep red. A splotch of black and red on an otherwise yellow and green plains. Crouching down, she ran the grainy mud through her fingers before glancing up at Axel.

"Did you know? A surprising amount of death comes from machetes. With this grass, you can hide a veritable platoon of men here, waiting to spring on their opponent." A knife appeared in her hand, and she examined it closely.

"People still hold that fear over primitive weapons. It's how you keep the local populace under control. The more painful a weapon looks, the more the fear controls." The knife disappeared into her clothing, which was immediately replaced by a revolver.

"Guns are frightening, of course. But it just doesn't have that same spice, that same brutality as a slit throat or a chopped limb does, you know?" Her face remained passive. There was no bloodthirst or hostility.

"Not many people can tackle that fear. Look there," Maria pointed out a group of soldiers, rebels by the looks of their dress, "Notice how they crouch. How they fire their weapons yet duck their heads. They don't enjoy this. Their fear controls them. They don't have the discipline nor the drive to continue to fight."

True to her word, the rebels broke off and ran. At first it was a mere trickle of men moving away from the battlefield. Then it turned into a waterfall as nearly every rebel turned and fled, spurned on by the sight of their fleeing comrades.

Sighing, she faced Axel, "This isn't their place, even if it is their country. But it is mine."

Axel returned her stare, his eyes widening slightly at her description of the warfront. Her knowledge of the battlefield was absolutely unparalleled, and he had no choice but to accept her psychology for what it was. Fear was indeed a dominating force in combative events, and yet her comfort with such barbaric tactics was unsettling. This is where she thrives...in violence, in the most efficient form of destruction possible.

And yet, is that her choice? Does she want this? His hand drifted across a blade of darkened grass, his fingertips returning bloodied. It must be her home now. That yearning to return to the battlefield...it must have never left her. Could that be why she joined the Grail War this whole time?

"Then..." Axel rubbed the blood from his fingertips, his eyes returning to her. "Is this your wish? Is this what you've been fighting for this whole time? For...the sake of warfare?"

A sad enveloped Maria's face, "No. I won't deny my wish is a little selfish, but I would hardly want war for the sake of war. I know how to control my impulses, and I have my own code for how war is waged. This was different than the Gulf. Watch again."

The men who were running were getting gunned down by the red beret wearing government forces. The entire battle had turned into a complete rout. Rebels fell like blades of grass cut on a hot summers day as bullets and shrapnel tore their bodies apart. Shells from tanks and mortars blew them sky high. It was a desperate situation.

Yet as the rebels retreated, a small group peeled off from them, bravely turning around to face the oncoming threat. It was apparent this group was expendable, doing nothing but buying time for the rest of rebels to get away. Yet something was off with this group of soldiers. They barely stood above the blades of grass, the guns looked large and unwieldy in their hands, and their clothes were loose fitting.

They were kids. Teenagers. And they'd just been sentenced to die for the "greater good".

"I may thrive in wartime, but I'm not a monster. It's things like this that allow me to retain my own humanity. Something so morally twisted that it begs the question: am I any better than these desperate folks?"

The child soldiers did not budge as they took the brunt of the oncoming government military. Did not flinch as their ranks fell one after another. And would not be remembered for their bravery in the pointless and wasteful civil wars to come.

"Yes. I am. War is not my answer nor the solution to anything. It's something I've acclimated to and even enjoyed. But it is not my wish."

Axel smiled calmly, looking out upon the bodies of the sacrificed child soldiers. "Your...ideals of warfare. They're valid, especially considering the mundane affairs of ballistic engagements. But they also tell me that you weren't prepared for this war. The Grail War."

His eyes returned to his fingertips, now stained red. "You had the armory, and you certainly had the skills. But your mental reservations and moral code don't belong in this conflict." He rubbed his fingers harder, and the substance started to crumble off in tiny clumps. "This is a mage's war, not a soldier's. And a mage does not limit his horizon to morals, no matter what extremes he must take. Mages are not humans, they are living weapons with no reservations whatsoever." A chuckle leaked from his lips. "I guess it's a little late to tell you this now."

The black haired man lifted his gaze skyward with a deep inhale. "I killed a boy two nights ago. He was just on the verge of adulthood, but a boy nonetheless. I killed him because I needed him to die, not from an accident or out of self defense." Despite the macabre implications, his serenity with such a concept was a beautiful sight to behold. "I did it because I was better than him, and my own goals come before his. I wish there was more to it than that, but there isn't."

He exhaled slowly as he returned his attention to Maria. "If this is not your wish, then what is it?"

Maria stared absently as Axel recounted his story of the death of another Master. For a moment, she was confused. He'd spoken about it as if it affected him greatly, as if the event had been drilled in his mind, inescapable. Then she realized.

It was the first time he'd killed someone.

The dawning realization struck her offguard for a moment. The thought that someone was involved in the Grail War and not a killer made her feel...Angry? Annoyed? A thumping in her chest came in tandem with the pounding in her head. He'd chosen this fight but he hadn't come...prepared. He was no different than the kids dying on that field.

Turning away, her boot kicked up the blood drenched sand. There was no point in mincing words.

"I plan to revive my sister."

A whirlwind of sand surrounded them, masking the adolescent massacre occurring in the distance. The only sound that could be heard was the howling of the winds around them, and in mere seconds, it subsided. The dunes of sand were just as peaceful as they had been upon their arrival in the phantasmal environment, empty and gleaming with a fiery hue. Neither of them had moved, for the newfound silence was fluid in its transition.

Axel closed his eyes as his fingers curled calmly, permitting his mind to process Maria's exposed wish. She wants to bring the dead back to life. Not a revival of multiple people, not a goal for the greater good. A selfish desire that pushed her all the way to the end of the world. It seemed like such an unreasonable wish, but he knew that it wasn't so. Clinging to a ghost...

The mage turned his back to Maria, his hands tucking into his pockets. But she doesn't understand what's at stake.

Without warning, the scenery before them began to rush beneath their feet. They watched as the ground below visually blurred, shifting from the light sand to a darker mahogany. The light dimmed considerably as the sun was replaced with dimmed lanterns, and walls of furnished wood enclosed them. Finally the ground slowed to a halt, revealing a dim office coated wall-to-wall with stacks of ancient books. A simple desk sat in the middle, clearly stressed by the weight of many thousands of pages stacked up high.

On the center of the desk was Axel's pocketwatch, with its glass screen clear and unbroken.

Axel stepped between the columns of books, carefully making his way to the desk. His eyes remained focused on the antique watch as his mouth opened in quiet reverence. But of course. "This is my office in the Mages' Association. I spent countless hours here researching this little watch." A sad, nostalgic smile crept across his lips. "It let me slip out of the timestream, permitting me to leave the present and step into the past."

His fingers gently touched the smooth, lacquered wood of the desk. "I don't know how many lifetimes I've lived. I've stepped into the past so many times that I frankly stopped counting. I needed to know more about this watch, about True Magic...about Akasha." How many times had he jumped back? His head gently shook as he discarded the thought from his mind. "I had limitless knowledge at my disposal, thanks to this little tool."

But some things were not meant to be known.

Maria had expected a sneer, perhaps disbelief at such a simple wish. Right now, all the power in the world was at their fingertips. The goal of most Magi was self gratification, legacy, and power. There were many families who'd gladly sacrifice themselves or even their children to achieve that lofty goal.

Yet Axel stood without a word as he absorbed her words. Yet it did not last. The world around her twisted and blackened. Maria's eyes flitted back and forth across the landscape as the sandy dunes transformed into velvet carpet and wood. The tall grass was replaced with stacks of books and shelves.

It was his memory. One of a simple workplace, perhaps the closest thing this man had to a home.

Shock went through Maria as he revealed his own secret. Time travel. That simple little watch allowed him to travel to the past. It was earth shattering news. What he had was True Magic. The likes that had never been seen in this world. Maria bit her lip. With that kind of power at hand, he should've been able to win the Grail War as his leisure.

"At least I know for sure how unique this Grail war is. If you've been to the past as you have claimed, I find it hard to believe that you did not seek out a power as great as the Grail. Either you were incapable of finding it, or such a thing did not exist until now. Why did you feel the need to find answers about Akasha?"

Axel inhaled deeply, his eyes softening as he raised his hand from the table. "Because if we don't change now, we're doomed for extinction." His fingers lowered to the screen of the watch.

Suddenly, the glass cracked, splitting in a "Y" formation down the middle. The ground beneath them shuddered as a rift synonymous to the one in the glass split through the ceiling and floor, and the books began to dissolve into flakes of ash. Trembling surfaces spattered flakes of paint as the room trembled with the power of a cataclysmic earthquake, and with a shattering thunder, the walls collapsed to either side, exhaling a storm of debris.

The black haired mage had not moved from his position with his finger touching the watch, which now floated at waist-height. As the quaking subsided and the dust settled, sound was replaced with an ethereal howling of winds, gentle whispers that hinted at a ghost of a breeze. The lack of sound was instantly maddening, and he could almost hear the sound of his own pulse as it crept faster and faster. Must I see this again? Exhaling his pent-up breath, he raised his orange eyes to their new environment.

A ghastly wasteland of ash and stone greeted him fragilely, an endless horizon of grey, black, and red. Many trillions of bodies from all across the spectrum of time lay limp and broken upon earth fractured by inconceivable means, their lifeless eyes reflecting the spectacle above. The skies bore a celestial nightmare, a jagged tear in the fabric of the universe that stretched as far as the eye could see. From its maw spewed harrowing and horrifying abominations wrapped in veils of death and decay, skeletal limbs and writhing masses of flesh that stretched for the surface beyond. Monstrous bipedal demons of titanic proportions thundered across the abysmal plains, impossibly slender and frighteningly graceful in their phantasmal harvest. Everything moved without noise, establishing a petrifying aura of indescribable malice.

Axel lowered his eyes from the transfixing scenery and fixed them on Maria. "This is the end of our species, Maria. This is the Aylesbury Ritual, Crimson Moon's feast upon Akasha."

For a moment, Maria's grasp on reality began to ebb and flow, her temples pounding as she drank in the sight of the world. It was an empty shell, a husk of what had once been a world vibrant with life and exploding color. Any greenery was gone, replaced with a drab and lifeless gray.

The only thing left of humanity were its corpses on the sundered world, their glassy eyes staring up at the shattered skies, into the abyss. Maria's jagged breathing caught within her throat. Horror gripped her heart as sweat began to moisten her her palms.

She'd just witnessed the end of the world. Yet...

"If this is our supposed fate, how do you intend to use the Grail to end it?"

Axel felt his hair creep up in this foreign, disturbing, wrong world as a celestial wind brushed past them, billowing not their bodies, but their very souls. "There's only one way: through the destruction of all magic as we know it. Without magic, none of this," he said, spreading his arms to the horrid landscape before them, "would be possible. Humanity would continue to thrive, unhindered by the plague of magecraft."

His eyes, hollowed by the specters of their future, glimmer with a tiny spark of hope. "Only by the death of Akasha can we seal this away."

Akasha.

The word echoed in her mind, remnants of long forgotten lessons taught at a tender age. The word was both foreign and familiar. The memory of such slipped throughout her mind before she could grasp it, playfully, or maliciously, out of reach. But even with the teachings of the Magi nearly laid bare from her mind, Maria firmly grasped one thing,

"You plan to destroy magic in the world?" The hollow sounding words were soon starting to regain their feelings, disbelief filling the void, "Do you even realize what that would probably do to this world?"

Maria's heart raced. A similar situation had arisen in the world before. The creation of the atomic bomb. When scientists split the atom, no one knew whether or not if it would cause a chain reaction and completely light up the atmosphere.

Yet Axel wanted the destruction of a force that was fundamentally tied into the word in which they lived. Maria's fists clenched. He had no idea what he was doing. In trying to stop assured destruction, he was potentially bringing it about much earlier.

"The road to hell really is paved with good intentions, isn't it?" This time, anger filled her voice.

Despite the bleak, lifeless aura hugging their skin, Axel gave a calm, sad smile as Maria tensed. She hasn't had as much time as I have to think this through. In fact, no one has, and no one ever will. He knew well the path which he wanted them to embark on. Well, he didn't know what they would encounter, but he knew it was the one that they needed to take.

"I don't know what will happen. If anything, it's more than likely that we'll simply stop existing." His shoulders rose in a shrug as he continued to watch her. "Removing Akasha from the equation of humanity's timeline could be so disruptive that our universe could collapse. I mean, this is the Grail we're talking about."

His gaze rose to the shattered, broken skyline above them, his half smile brimming with acquiescence and satisfaction. "But there's still a chance that it won't. The Aylesbury Ritual is a fixed point without the Grail, and if there's even the smallest glimmer of hope for humanities survival through that cup, then I'll take it." Orange eyes traced the great chasm across their cosmos, following it to the tip of the horizon. "Certain doom versus probable doom. I think it's clear which is the better option."

Axel's eyes returned to Maria and his smile fell from his face. "Which is why I cannot let you take the Grail."

A fixed point in time. Maria bristled at the thought. What, so this whole damn thing is preordained? It's due to destiny we'll meet our destruction? She did not believe in fate. The very idea went against Maria's model of life and added fuel to the already growing fire in her chest.

Yet even so, Maria could feel a pressure behind her eyes. She was soon reaching her limits. The cost of all the fighting combined with the use of her Family Crest...it'd taken a lot out of her. But she had enough juice left. Enough to take this misguided mage down. If victory was not certain...

Mutual destruction would be assured. Someone else would have to take up the mantle whenever the next War occurred.

"You don't get a say in this. I'll be taking the Grail tonight!"

Axel's stare remained constant, unwavering, stoic. Her resistance conjured a storm behind his eyes, a rage visible only by a very gentle narrowing of the eyelids. The nostalgic tragedy that knit his aura was now gone, replaced by the tension in his tendons and muscles. So even in the face of almost sure destruction, she continues to pursue the path of selfishness; temporary, short-term pleasure and satisfaction over the lives of us all. His chest inflated with a frustrated breath. Then she will not be permitted to live.

As the air left his lungs, the cataclysmic scenery vanished, fading into a black abyss that encompassed the two of them. Not even the celestial breeze could be heard now, nothing but the beat of their hearts. His steady eyes blinked gently, his orange eyes set upon the woman several body lengths away from him.

"Very well, then."

With a thaumaturgic mutter, Axel's arm quickly extended outwards, and a bright bolt of lightning exploded towards Maria from the tips of his fingers.

[TheDoctor]

The bolt snaked throughout the air, following an unpredictable pattern yet the target was obvious: Maria. Maria had already been shocked to alertness after Axel's words. Plus, his eyes. There was no more conversation to be had, no words left to be exchanged. Firm in their beliefs, neither Maria nor Axel would be backing down.

That was just fine with her.

Maria had never been graceful with her words. Oration was not something she excelled at. But fighting was an entirely different story. Fighting past the exhaustion that threatened to overcome her, Maria's hand flared a brilliant gold. The familiar golden sphere completely absorbed the strike before fizzling out. Damn it. That alone was a testament to how weak she was becoming.

Hand shaking slightly, a murmur of words, and suddenly a wall of dust billowed between, obstructing vision for both. Yet heavy caliber rounds blast through it, aimed at Axel's chest all the same.

Axel knew his thaumaturgy was futile against Maria's impregnable Code, but harming her with such had never been his intention. The moment the bolt was released, he immediately rushed to the side, permitting the strike against the golden orb to distract her as he drew his knife from his coat. Upon the construction of the cloud of dust, he mumbled again, and with a burst of air that sought to both disperse the dust and expel the bullets in a different direction, he exploded towards where he last saw Maria.

His body accelerated from the air burst, his knife slashing through the dust for the throat of Maria's hazy silhouette.

Both had signature moves and weapons. Maria with her guns and trickery, Axel with mixture of thaumaturgy and hand to hand. Most predominately was his specialization in wind. Even with that knowledge in mind, Maria barely raised her hand, and the gun, in time to block the blade. The knife smashed into the steel of the weapon, shattering both of them.

As the pieces fell, Maria reached back and grasped her second sidearm. Sweeping aside Axel's now outstretched hand, the pistol whipped through the air as the barrel pointed squarely at his voice. Maria pulled the trigger.

Axel's frown deepened as his blade was shattered into pieces by the barrel of Maria's gun, disappointment evident in his gaze. That was the only knife he had, and with his pocket watch useless, he was quickly running out of utilities. When the second pistol emerged to point at him, he knew that he could now only rely on his thaumaturgy and that of his bodily instincts.

That would be enough.

Before the gun fired, Axel leaped with a wind-powered backflip, expelling a powerful gust of vertical air that pulled Maria's arm skyward. The shot went far above his head with the obscuring dust cloud blown far and wide, but he wasn't finished with that. In the middle of his airborne evasion, he seized control of the vectors of the dozens of shards of steel and swept them to accelerate for Maria's chest.

The mage landed in a crouch with a gentle puff of air, his eyes focusing upon Maria again. While she was preoccupied by the cloud of steel fragments speeding towards her, he surrounded his hand with a narrow band of air and used another gust to explode forward once again. When he was within arm's reach, he whipped his arm upwards and diagonally, and a narrow arced blade of air expanded from the path of his hand, seeking to slice Maria in two.

A dozen thoughts and feelings swirled within Maria's mind. The Grail was within her reach, and the only one who stood between Maria and her wish was one man: Axel. Determination lit a fire in his eyes, fueling his movements and pushing him beyond the brink. His convictions had been honed, refined, and hardened in the wake of what he saw as the worlds destruction.

She grimaced as the wind from his back flip sent dust flying into her eyes. Hand up to protect her face, time slowed down to a crawl as she watched the steel shards begin to race towards her chest. Hard breathing became the only sound she heard as the beating of her heart muffled the world. Uncertainty debilitated her. No incantations or activation of her Circuits came to being.

What if he was right? Her selfishness could stop the world from being saved. Was it a moment of weakness, or that of clarity? What had been her wish? It was to bring her sister back to life. Yet, had it been her wish?

Maria had spent years away from the family. While she was gone, she'd never seen that sweet little girl grow up into adulthood. From all accounts, she'd lived a happy life, despite being cursed with the gift of magecraft. She'd been happy. Happy.

So what was it that drove Maria? The conversation she had with Rider entered her mind. Maria had called it a duty. A duty to her family, to revive her lost loved one. But that wasn't it at all, was it? It was guilt.

The outstretched hand, the one about to cast the magic that would save Maria's life quivered. Despite the high speeds, Maria could see each shard clearly, the slight gleam as their razor sharped edges prepared to dice into her chest. I can't kill the world for the sake of one person. Swallowing, Maria slowly began to lower her hand---

"Dear sister, you aren't going to let me die, are you?" The familiar voice snaked its way into her brain, filling Maria with both alarm and fear. There was a pressure on the her back and on her chest. A phantom was there, bearing a sad smile as it embraced Maria from behind. Those clear blue eyes and that soft smile.

"Evelynn." Maria gasped. Her sister shook her head and pointed towards the flying steel. Purpose once again flooded into her and thaumturgic words were upon her lips. This time, another great gust pushed the shards in all direction. Maria stopped forward, one hand slightly outstretched in a protective manner with her "sister" behind her.

Just as the dust settled, Axel burst through it, hand glowing with magical energy. Gritting her teeth, Maria side stepped the slash, wincing as the almost tangibly sharp air whipped by her head. But instead of retaliation, Maria danced back. Her head swiveled as she once again looked for the ghost--

There she stood. Evelynn watched with both interest and concern. What the hell? Maria had been whipped into action by the signs of her imminent death. But now she actually had time to think. Could Axel see the girl?

Then Evelynn smiled, "How many years has it been?"

Axel's eyes widened in surprise at the apparition before them, especially at the motivating presence it held over Maria. He didn't know who she was to Maria, but frankly, he didn't really care. The little girl both transfixed and forced her to move, something that Axel could use to his advantage. If she has an emotional tie to this girl, then perhaps I can make use of it.

Without a rustle of his clothing, Axel mouthed words of thaumaturgy under his breath. Far behind him, in the empty void which they battled in, one of Maria's used bullets rose from the ground, its head twisting to point at her back. Taking great care not to make a sound, he twitched his finger forward, and the bullet started to drift towards them. Just a little longer...

Finally content with Maria's focus upon the apparition, his finger straightened, and the bullet exploded for the center of Maria's back with a velocity comparative to one fired from a gun.

"Look out." The apparition pointed behind Maria, a look of serenity on her face. Before Maria could even react, a sound that was a mixture of someone getting slapped and punched found its way to her ears...right before the pain did. Dark liquid gathered around her abdominal area, and Maria instantly recognized the type of wound. A gunshot.

Maria hissed and whirled around towards Axel, "You fucking roach."

Rage controlled her tone, yet it did not rise. Instead Maria's jaw clenched as she forced herself to remain calm. Losing her temper wouldn't do a lick of good. She'd allowed herself to be distracted, and that was entirely her fault. Instead retaliation, Maria clacked back the bolt of the pistol, launching an unspent round into the air.

Snatching it with a trembling hand, Maria ejected the bullet from the brass casing, and muttered a quick incantation. The round began to glow a bright red and Maria pressed the scalding hot metal into her wound. A sharp intake of breath later, and the sound of sizzling skin, and Maria essentially cauterized her wound.

She stopped the bleeding but Maria still had a hole blown through her. The chances of victory were continually diminishing. Having fought a mage and that monster of a Servant, not to mention having to drain her mana to bring back Rider as quickly as possible and--well, Maria had never been in a shittier situation.

Exhaling, another sent of incantations left Maria's lips and suddenly, earthen spikes erupted from the ground with intent of skewering Axel on the spot.

Evelynn watched impassively, her smile only returning when Maria's gaze fell on her, "I guess he just won't leave you be, huh? Hurry up and kill him, and make your wish."

Axel's eyes locked with Maria's as she conducted the thaumaturgy, and at the shifting of energy beneath his feet, he frowned, raising his arm and mouthing a phrase to break her attack. Her attempts at his life were becoming less and less threatening, to the point that he noticed his mind lowering its guard. Could this feud really be at its end? Was victory finally at hand?

"Do not hold back, Axel!"

Thaumaturgy went awry. Execution was improper. Results were disastrous. With the smallest break of focus, the littlest pivot of his head in the direction of the voice, Axel felt his spell execute with only minimal effect, crumbling only the longest of earthly spines. Three of them lodged into his left arm through the wrist, forearm, and elbow, piercing clean through to the other side. A roar of pain exploded from his lips as he clasped his arm, which had severed movement to his hand.

When he addressed the voice, David stood by his side, arms crossed with a cigarette burning in his mouth. His eyes hardened knowingly, his grin ever confident as he nodded towards Maria. "After all of the work you've put yourself through, you're gonna let her win because you think she isn't a threat?" He shrugged. "Seems like you don't even want to save the world."

Axel grit his teeth, tears of pain clouding his vision. He's not real...the real David died to give me a chance at the Grail. Blood slithered down his wounded arm, dropping in splatters upon the abyssal floor. This apparition just wants to even up the score. The Grail is looking for good sport.

But it's right. I need to finish this now, before my circuits give up on me.

Lightning crackled along his entire right arm, and with a shout, he launched an arc of thaumaturgic electricity at Maria. He followed up by launching into the air and, upon decent, delivering an ax kick aimed for her head.

The flashes arced towards Maria's chest, the white lightning threatening to pierce through her chest, and beyond. Heart thumping rapidly and a migraine that was poised to tear her skull apart, Maria delved into the farthest reaches of herself to glean that last bit of mana. That little extra push. The end is so near. All Maria had to do was reach out and grab it.

A sweaty palm raised itself, and the a thin stream of magic surged through her Circuits. As the smell of ozone began to fill the air, the white bolt struck Maria's hand and began to travel along the length of her arm. A look of deep concentration was evident on Maria's face, and her mouth moved with unintelligible whispers. The deadly strike passed from one arm to the next upraised arm, where it shot off into the sky.

Now, I can--

With that, Maria fell to her knees, almost completely devoid of any mana. Her entire body shook with the exertion, and sweat gathered on her brow. Shit. That was when Axel launched his next attack. Through glassy eyes, Maria watched as his leg began to descend.

Perhaps this end was fitting. Her wish had been selfish, looking for forgiveness or redemption when there was none to be found. Closing her eyes, Maria thought of her parents, and all the work and hope they put onto her. She could already imagine the tears shed by her mother, and the stoic face her father would bear.

They would be sad, wouldn't they? The deaths of their only two children, their daughters...That's probably why she should--

The Crest on her back began to glow weakly, the once luminescent shine already a shadow of its former self. A sphere of gold surrounded Maria's body, flickering with dying light.

--at least try.

As the shield and Axel's attack connected, the huge impact blew dust over the final battlefield. For a moment, silence reigned. Then the cloud began to clear, and two figures could be seen. Maria was lying on her back, with Axel's boot pressed firmly on her chest. Aegis had killed most of the damage output, so Maria was relatively unharmed.

Breath left Maria's lungs, and she turned her head to the side, refusing to look at the victor, "I suppose it's your win."

There was nothing left in Maria. No spells, no tricks, and certainly no bullets. It had finally ended.

Axel's chest heaved as he stood over Maria, his fingers pointed between her eyes. His breathing continued its rapid pace before he inhaled sharply, expelling a huff of breath and calming his respiratory system. His chest rose and fell more evenly, and trickles of sweat descended from his forehead. Droplets of blood sprinkled from the pikes of earth lodged in his left arm, yet he paid them no mind.

His eyes widened in shock, fear, and horror at his victory before they settled with acceptance. "I...suppose I do. Nothing really...more to be said." A bulb of mana brightened at his fingertips. "I'm..."

The sphere pulsed. "...sorry."

Lightning flashed from his fingers. Maria--his nemesis, his greatest foe--was no more.

The mage's finger's slackened and opened as he stepped off of her chest, and the change of balance immediately sent him toppling backwards. He landed on his rear end with his feet splayed out in front of him, but his eyes were curiously settled. So killing the second time really is easier than the first. A calm, sad smile crept across his lips as he stared at his hands. Well, I did it, Caster. I...we...are the victors. I wonder how it feels for you, if you feel anything at all.

His eyes rose to fix upon David's, his shoulders hunched from exhaustion. "That's it, then....what now?"

"Now? Now you make your wish."

The voice that came from David's mouth definitely wasn't his. No, it was... genderless. All-encompassing. It shook the entire fabric of the world around it. As if to match the voice, his form changed. From the familiar David to a woman with stark white hair dressed from head to toe in a tight fitting black & red dress. Her red eyes looked Axel up and down before she sighed.

"Although you aren't the one I was hoping for," the woman continued, her voice still inhuman as she looked the tragic victor up and down. "You will do. I already know your wish, Axel Valentine; but I want to hear you say it out loud. Wish for the death of an unmeasurable number of people for the few to survive. You know it's the only way out of your never ending loop."

Axel looked back down at his legs and the vast emptiness beneath them. He was ready to hear this, that all that he had fought for would cost many countless lives, perhaps more than he could save. It was always a risk as to whether his quest was fruitless, and yet even now, he knew that this was not for nothing. The human figure of the Grail may have been right, but...that didn't mean that he was wrong.

The smile on his lips resumed, and a staggered chuckle coughed from his chest. "I know what you're doing. You're trying to make me second-guess myself, make me question whether what I'm doing is truly the 'right' thing. That's why you want me to say it." He shook his head. "You think I'm stupid? That isn't going to work on me. What I want will be for the sake of humanity and humanity alone. Mages be damned."

He raised his eyes to look upon hers, pools of crimson in a landscape of snow. "You won't exist anymore, not in the past, present, or future. You're scared, aren't you?"

"Scared? You hold some strange notion in your head, old man. All I've ever known is a life of existence, so the idea of non-existence is..."

Her smile almost seemed self-depreciating.

"It matters not. I have no intention of talking to one that isn't him, so I'm done with you. Go, make your wish."

With a slight wave of her hand, the void around her formed. In front of Axel, a cup formed. From its sides spilled an ominous black fluid, but the woman seemed to pay it no mind as she dipped her hand into its contents. There was no further communication, only her blank red eyes staring at him closely.

...in the end, they already both knew what was going to happen to them.

Axel's eyes embraced the cup, drinking in its omnipotent presence. His goal, his very wish, finally corporeal before him...

"You're right...it matters not." He reached for the cup with one hand, eyes transfixed by its glory. "I wish...for a world without magic, where Mana, Thaumaturgy, even True Magic are nothing but fantasies."

"A world without Akasha."

All around them, the world crumbled.

Patches of black peeled back to reveal pure white. In front of him, the figure of the woman began to disintegrate into dust.

"Good luck in the new world, Magus..."

And then she was gone.

Degeneration. A complete obliteration of everything he ever knew.

What was it? Beautiful? No, it was gut-wrenching, it seized at his insides and inflamed them to the point that he tried to tear them out. Silently he fell upon his back, his hand grasped to his chest in near physical pain. Had he just wished for the destruction of reality itself?

Gone...

Audible gasps burst from his chest as he twisted to the side, his eyes falling upon Maria. As the horizon of white crept to her head, it dissolved into splinters of black that drifted beyond what he could see. Little by little her body was consumed by the onset of whiteness until nothing remained, his final opponent forever lost.

And I'll follow, too.

A small circle of darkness was all that remained around Axel as his legs clenched tighter into a fetal position, his eyes squeezing shut. I'm going to die...no, this isn't death. I won't have existed in the first place. This is complete destruction. My atoms, my consciousness...returned to the void. The circle crept closer as he opened his eyes again, brimming on the edge of his limbs. Why did I do this? This wasn't the right path. I'm not ready...I'm not ready...

But I have to do this.

His grip upon his chest slackened, and he lost feeling to his feet.

For the sake of all that is to come.

Legs, hands, his body were destroyed. Or, perhaps, they were simply unbound?

And that of my very life.

He closed his eyes, and all was white.