2986/Caster LF Worshippers

Caster LF Worshippers
Date of Scene:	08 September 2015
Location:	The Great Jungle
Synopsis:	A trial run of a plan to curry faith from tribals goes sideways
Cast of Characters:	181, 560, Lezard Valeth, 701, Sanary Rondel, 821, 826

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Circe (701) has posed:
    The Great Jungle is pretty great. In terms of size that is, because it's also full of bugs and beasts and bad weather and belligerents and, uh... Biseases! Yeah, biseases. However, there's also indigenous (or in some cases displaced) peoples with levels of societal, cultural, and technological advancement beneath even the time period that Caster hails from originally, to say nothing of the 'modern day' she has been summoned into. Even though in the 'modern day' there are still people just like this in parts of the world. But the point is that they have had little to no contact with outsiders, and their civilizations are very vulnerable to change.

    Caster has made one particular village a target for a 'trial run' of sorts. She hasn't just come up with this plan spontaneously, as she has been watching for months, but even she would admit that she is going into this with the intent to just see how hard it is to convince the locals of her genuine goddess status, as well as what the likelihood of interference is from either local/regional defenders, or roaming heroic types.

    This particular village lies near a river bank, in an area filled with a network of such water ways. There's savannha that stretches for hundreds of miles off to the east, and there are plenty of beasties there that serve either as prey, competition for the human villagers, or predators of such. So they should be plenty familiar with animals. That's good.

    The red-haired Servant dressed in her purple tunic and golden veil, is situated nearby the village, alon with any who came with her. She has made efforts to conceal her presence, but she's no Assassin, and her magical radiance is especially noticeable. Leather-hide tents serve as camps and outposts in the savannha, but mud-brick buildings make up most of the structures in the village itself, due to proximity to the river providing a ready supply.

    Once she is certain anyone coming with her is ready, the Servant decides to big on the dramatic entrance. She's expecting opposition. But this is a test run to see how quickly they respond to an obvious display.

    She raises her Sorceress's Stave, one of her Noble Phantasms, a construct of hyper-dense magical energy, and the sky overhead quickly becomes clouded, the humidity increases tremendously, and a dazzling display of lightning begins. It jumps from cloud to cloud, arcing down as though to hit the ground before turning and going back up into the sky, creating balls of lightning that disperses after several seconds, and in various other ways making sure she has the attention of these primitives.

    It goes on for only a few minutes, the most she can accomplish for a display like this, the booming of thunder over the savannha even louder as it echoes up off the terrain and spreads out for miles and miles and miles. Plenty of people in the region should be able to see this, especially the villagers. And if that includes Union scouts... The Union should know very shortly and send someone to investigate.

    Circe herself makes her appearance when the storm ends. She used her own prana for all that, so she isn't intending to do anything else big right now. Instead, she just descends upon the village through the air, making it seem as though she came from the sky, as she gleams a red and gold aura. Any foliage in the way of her comrades bends aside for them, or withers at their feet, creating a path.

    Though that last thing is because Circe is draining mana from vegetation already to try to replenish her own reserves.

Psalm (181) has posed:
    Psalm.... is nearby, watching the display with more than a little interest. For one thing, Circe is her responsibility, and her sister and... come on, who doesn't love a good show like this? I mean, eally, it's not every day that one gets to try to gather Faith as a reliable resource. That's always a real trick.

    Also she TOTALLY TRIED THIS ONE a long tiem ago when she was young and stupid and it didn't work. Maybe Circe's gonna have a better chance at it.

    THe bard sits in a tree nearby, chewing on a local fruit, and bobbing her head in time with the music in her soul, feeding her Servant power as she needs it. This is /fun/.

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    Freak storms aren't a big deal most of the time, but location and intensity can make all the difference. It does just so happen that a light flag goes up in Union headquarters and the nearest Elite is contacted.

    That happens to Emiya Shirou on his typical motorcycle, which he ends up put-puttering through one of the few trails - one worn down by jungle runners, no doubt. He ditches it in some bushes before reaching some trees overlooking the village, and promptly leaps up into a low-hanging branch with a Reinforced leap. His eyes and ears similarly Reinforced, Shirou attempts to get an idea of what's happening from perhaps a block or two away...

    He's arrived just in time to see Circe descending from the heavens. THAT leaves him just staring bewilderedly. What's she doing here?

Bertram Silent (826) has posed:
Bertram can feel the difference between a natural storm and a magical one, though don't ask him to explain how. He's no scholar on magic, as he was in the vicinity anyway, he starts running over, just in time spot someone going for an unusually dramatic entrance. "You think that's impressive?" He asks, loudly, as his staff rises, light goes up before it explodes into a brilliant display of sacred light. Blinding easily, powerful, though also admittedly draining. "You'll have to work harder to impress me, Thaumaturge."

Sanary Rondel has posed:
     Sanary's not sure quite where she should be for this job. On one hand, directing some of her own magical energy to help replenish Caster's does seem to be the logical way to assist with her goal today, and that's just what she's doing for the time being. At the same time, she's not quite sure if following behind the woman from the ground might give the wrong impression. She's made sure to wear her monstrous green armor to play the role of the visible enforcer should things get dicey, but...

     It is hot. So very hot. Plus, acting isn't really her strong suit. Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to go find Psalm and feed magic into her instead?

     Thankfully, there's a distraction in the form of Betram and that big flash of eye pain! The bad news, though, is that she might actually have to start moving around now. After that initial pain from staring directly at a blindingly bright object wears off, she proceeds to simply watch him while keeping her gunaxe and shield sheathed while waiting for further instruction from Caster like a good minion.

Archer (821) has posed:
    "... you're sure this is something we need to get involved in?"

    In response to his all-too-reasonable question, Archer was leveled with a rather firm mental glare from the ever-present force that effectively had full executive control over his life, even years after it had ended - his Master's disembodied equivalent of a berating.

    SHIVA - what Rin described as basically being a looking-glass that could occasionally glimpse through the Multiverse to see 'trouble-spots' - detected some kind of... disturbance in this comparatively remote area. One that was apparently siphoning bits of prana from the environment, living or otherwise. And after Archer's experience with that strange death-magic construct in the mirrored version of Tokyo, Rin had decided not to take any chances when hunting down potential sources of it.

    However, what Archer was looking at right now was not what he expected to see. Granted, it was familiar... but not in the way he was expecting.

    Namely... what he was feeling now was reminiscent not of that incident roughly two weeks ago, but rather more like something he had experienced in the Grail War. A class of magic he was all too well acquainted with from his living days as a Master, before he'd doomed himself to his damnable and impossible ideals.

    Magic from the age of the Gods. The same kind that had been used by his war's Caster; the 'Witch of Betrayals,' Medea.

    Archer tensed slightly, wondering if he wasn't the only Servant from the Grail Wars to return - as well as whether she was currently a Servant... or a living person. After all, Rin said anything was possible in the Multiverse, and so far he'd come to agree with her.

    Taking a knee, Archer scried the area from the nearby fields, searching for any sign of the disturbance - and promptly finding it in short order in the form of a massive series of flaring lightning bolts in the distance.

    ....

    As soon as he saw that, Archer retracted his previous assertion - there was no way this could be Medea. The witch had /never/ been so obvious as to announce her presence like that.

    This was someone else. Someone with similar abilities and magic.

    Brow furrowed in mild concern, Archer took off for the source of the disturbance, entering his invisible astral form so as to not attract attention. After all, if this mysterious mage was on the level of Medea, the last thing he wanted was to blurt out his presence. That was how you ended up with a swift death.

    As, with any luck, his opponent might soon discover.

Circe (701) has posed:
    With her Master and sister waitng nearby to lend her support fromn concealment, the way most Masters probably should, and Sanary visibly following along and providing energy regeneration, and the brittle plants spreading out around her as they turn to pale stone, Caster feels pretty good about her energy supply even after that huge display. So when Bertram suddenly appears, making a very intense and flashy magical display of his own, the Servant is not AS worried as she might be otherwise. Though she is highly offended!

    Her red eyes with their reptillian or cat-like slit pupils narrow slightly against the light, but as a Servant, she is made of sterner stuff than mortals. It's still an unpleasant light shining right in her eyes and limiting vision, but she isn't blinded. More like 'squinting in the sunlight'. She doesn't know who this person is or what their intention is waving around a powerful magic spell like that, but she chooses to make one thing clear, since she has no time to waste on someone like this... Even if the entire point of this was specifically to see how a spontaneous incursion would go.

    "I do not seek to impress you," Caster responds from her position a dozen or so feet in the air, her body silhouetted in crimson. She doesn't appear to be aware of Archer's presence yet, but she herself can not be mistaken for anything other by those who know what a Servant is. She radiates a mystical presence that is detectable at considerable range. "It is the inhabitants of this village that I come for." Then she turns away as though dismissing Bertram's presence entirely, even though she is actually paying close attention. She doesn't know if he's a local or what. If he's local, then the reaction of defenders like this is important. If he's not, then knowing what to expect from random interlopers is also valuable data. And if he's Union, then she needs to know what Union reaction is to a magus like herself trying to turn a village into her worshippers might be.

    "If he interferes, chase him away," she advises the armored Sanary who is acting the part of a minion. She is aware Sanary is skilled at healing and status benefits such as the one that is helping to regenerate prana for Caster right now, but not whether Sanary is a skilled combatant. But that doesn't matter does it? As long as she acts the part, everything else will reveal information she can use.

    Even a loss here isn't really a loss.

    You can't lose when you aren't trying to win.

    She starts to hover on towards the village, coasting over a rough, blocky rooftop that no doubt has villagers huddling inside in fear, wondering wtf is going on.

    Unless she's stopped anyway.

Bertram Silent (826) has posed:
"Ah but therein lies the rub." Bertram says calmly, stepping forward. "I don't know what you're up to, but I don't think it's something I want to let happen." And then, he looks right at Sanary, "Miss Rondel, pray stay out of my way. I have no desire to harm you." Back to Circe, pointing his staff towards her, and calls upon the sky itself, speeding up the air and infusing it with magic to force the effect of ages of erosion into a dozen seconds, and if it hits, it will scraping, pushing, and cutting. It's all aimed for Circe. "Consider this your only warning."

Psalm (181) has posed:
    There's a delicate whistle from Psalm as she watches the response. That burst of Holy magic. A little tingle rushes through the woman's soul as she smiles broadly. Well isn't this about to be so very exciting.

    She steps forward on her branch, watches Bertram launch the burst of rasping air, and then simply steps away into thin air. As she falls, there's a flash of magic, metaphysiclaly loud as hell, and she transforms into her combat armor, the chainmail clinking into place around her broad frame.

    She draws her greatsword and calls out. "Well isn't this so very exciting! New blood in the game. I love it. Beloved Sister, continue your work." A smile to the others and the redhead just leans forward to look at Bertram, her eyes flashing, hair waving in the mystical breeze, and her Charisma turned all the way to 11. She's here for Battle. "You would do well for leaving and forgetting what's going on."

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    Shirou BALKS. what is Bertram thinking?! Well now that he knows it's Bertram thanks to the radio, anyways. he's still mostly focused on Circe and has little attention elsewhere... but that just changed now that magic's flying around. He remembers... Servants are able to draw power from humans and not at all in a friendly fashion. There's dying plants around.

    This is prooooobably bad.

    Shirou vaults from his place in the trees and lands on the ground, rolls off the momentum and springs up into a full on dash through the village. it doesn't take him long to emerge from a gap between some buildings and put himself in Circe's way... although he's not armed. "Wait a moment! What are you doing--" He arrives just in time for Bertram to throw more magic around.

    Shirou all but sweatdrops there. This is madness... utter madness. Muttering angrily about Bertram under his breath is what some would expect from him, but he only makes a vaguely frustrated noise and glances around at the village. How -ARE- the villagers reacting?!

Sanary Rondel has posed:
     Nodding at Caster, Sanary remains vigilant in staring directly at Betram. She doesn't remain the silent minion for long, though, as she chuckles at his request and offers him a light bow from the wiast. All those fancy gatherings must be getting to her.

     "Afraid I can't, Mister... Bertram." She clears her throat and mutters. "Never got your last name." Afterwards, she goes into a significantly louder and boisterous tone of voice while patting the gunaxe on her hip. Is she... Trying to act? Oh no. "I have no desire to harm you either, but it is the will of the lady..."

     ... Crap. Caster didn't even introduce herself yet, did she? "... Her will that I shall forbid anyone from interfering today. What say you, Mister Bertram?" She blinks slowly when Shirou shows up as well, although she does take care not to drop the act. "This goes for you as well, Mister Shirou!"

Archer (821) has posed:
    After a short travel across the savannah, the Servant of the Bow makes his way through the jungles, traversing through the treetops across the river until he finally came to near the source of the magical disturbance. Which as it turned out, was some form of native village situated against a river-bank.

    And in the midst of this, there stood a presence that could only belong to a Caster-Class Servant. And like he had thought, it wasn't the one from his Grail War... though her style of dress seemed to carry hints of the same cultural inclination - a purple toga-like dress. The Servant herself - a woman with long red hair - actually reminded Archer more of his war's Rider, Medusa, then she did of Medea.

    He also spotted someone in a suit of green-and-gold samurai-like feudal armor - one who was putting out a significant amount of prana.

    Prana that, near as Archer could tell, was helping the magus... and held a very familiar 'scent' to it, so to speak. The black-haired girl with the eye-patch.

    For her to be here... that either meant that the girl was either a prana battery for this Caster... or she was the Servant's Master.

    That complicated things. He couldn't tell if the girl had Command Seals or not with those gauntlets on. And because of that armor, it wouldn't matter if she was the Master - Archer's best tool for such an event, Rule Breaker, couldn't be used because of it. If he tried, the fragile knife would likely shatter on contact.

    However... at the same time, he couldn't afford to divert focus on finding the Master. And logically, it actually made more sense at the moment to take out the girl - Caster-Class Servants weren't known for physical prowess compared to the other Servants, and if the Master was hiding then it was unlikely she wanted to get discovered, making the armored girl the effective muscle of the group.

    So she would be the first to go down.

     Prana started to flow into him. The image was visualized in his mind even before he leapt down, landing behind Sanary.

    Barely a moment of contemplation flickered in his mind - the dull notation that he and her had fought with and assisted each-other on two separate missions as allies - before Archer materialized out of thin air behind Sanary-

    "Trace; On."

    -and drove a reinforced nameless blade toward her back, intending to impale her from behind.

Lezard Valeth has posed:
Amidst the storm, there is a chuckling noise that echoes over the winds. A familiar voice to many here, not to others, as the chuckling breaks into a tone dripping with dark amusement.

"A little production? This is nothing more than a bad joke."

There is a gleaming circle of light that draws upon that rocky rooftop, forming a magical circle. Within it, a dark shadow manifests... And resolves into Lezard Valeth, a black twisted staff clenched in one hand as his cape snaps around him in the stormwind.

His attention is on Circe herself. "Such a thing is ill befitting one of your... stature." He continues, smiling at the Servant as if he did not possess a care in the world.

Circe (701) has posed:
    The fact this person knows Sanary is a surprise! Already she has learned something valuable! If she's to have companions on something like this, she needs to pick ones that others won't recognize, or to conceal their identities somehow. She is skilled with illusions. Perhaps crafting clothing that generates an illusion might also be of use.

    "So you've no idea what's happening, but you're going to try to prevent it anyway without even asking?" she demands incredulously as she stops in mid-air and turns so that she might scoff at Bertram more directly. Then she's distracted by Shirou's sudden appearance, and gets hits with a scathing wind blast, scratching at her body, tearing at her skin, sending her clothing whipping painfully about, and blowing her backwards a few feet! Ow! Before she was acting, not she's just angry! "And now you attack me without provocation!" she yells furiously. Prana gathers upon her fingertips as she prepares Thankfully Psalm appears, and Caster reins in her temper.

    Slightly.

    In agreement with Psalm, Circe says, "I shall overlook your GRIEVOUS insult and UNJUSTIFIED violence for now! The people of this village are soon to be my worshippers. They deserve a goddess who can properly lead and protect them, to provide for them and teach them. I shall not depart simply because you ordered it, nor shall my companions." She hopes that suffices both as rebuke to Bertram and explanation for Shirou.

    Some faces were starting to peek out of houses, but the sound of loud voice and wind-blasts soon has them hiding again, though some of their hunters and warriors are steeling themselves and creeping outside with spears and bone knives in hand to see what's happening. This is completely beyond their experience, so they must be terrified. But they're still trying to protect their people.

    How admirable!

    Then Lezard appears! Again, Caster is distracted by one thing and unable to react to another. She turns her red gaze on the newly-appeared wizard, and says, "I thought perhaps starting at the bottom level and building a solid foundation before moving on to bigger things might be more constructive and less likely to result in interference--"

    Then everything goes to crap as Archer appears out of nowhere, Caster turning just as she senses his presence--too late. A knife is aimed for Sanary's back! Her first impulse is to strike, but her role as a Caster means dashing into combat is not in her best interests. So instead she delegates. "If you'd like to identify a more 'worthy' target, your advice will be considered, but first these assassins and ruffians need to be done away with!" she hisses. "Lend your aid, if you would, while I attend to our ally!" She then dives towards Sanary through the air. Maybe too late to prevent a stabbing, but hopefully she can grab her up and get her somewhere she can provide healing if there's an injury!

    The look she gives Archer in passing though... It clearly says she is NOT HAPPY.

Bertram Silent (826) has posed:
"You gave plenty provocation, if you genuinely think you didn't, you're an idiot." Bertram doesn't mince words here, and the only thing that prevents him from laying more hands on Circe is Archer. A swift change in magical focus, and healing energies are sent flowing towards Sanary. There's being enemies and then there's being needlessly rude about it. "I said." He repeats, "I don't want to harm her."

Lezard Valeth has posed:
That wide, insouciant smile on Lezard's face widens even more as he observes Circe's reactions to opposition and the revelation of her goals. Something... dark twists, and Lezard's eyes narrow, moments before he throws his head back and begins laughning.

"A GODDESS? /YOU/?" Lezard calls out, his voice slightly unhinged. "This is the best joke I have heard in ages!"

The laughter continues for several seconds, until he abruptly stops, as if something pulled a switch. "Very well." He says, adjusting his glasses. "I will give you the assistance you so /richly/ deserve."

With a flourish of his cape, he looks out over the village, and stretches out his staff, his voice resonating out as he gathers his own magic, Power swirling up around him in waves as he shapes it into his spell.

"I am he who hath entrusted his soul to the eternal vortex of time. Ye know me! And if ye do not, ye shall be made to know me! It shall be engraved on thy very soul... LEZARD VALETH! If ye shall accept the brand of Hel upon thee, thy sanctions shall in turn be lowered. I shall grant thee the deliverance of thy soul, and ye shall come now before me!"

Throughout the village, dark holes erupt, skeletal horrors crawling from them. Skulls rattle in pots and the dead buried in shallow graves, or left for the predators of the jungle stir, rising up with fell lights seething from empty eyes.

The undead then move to spread throughout the village, moving to grapple and take the villagers from their homes and carry them away from the impending battle.

"The first step is to preserve your... livestock." Lezard says, his voice edged even as he smiles.

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    Emiya Shirou withdrew reinforcing his ears upon closing in. He's less good at that and hearing everything so much as the grass crunching underfoot sounding like a falling mountain just doesn't WORK if you're trying to do anything useful.

    That's okay. He doesn't need to hear the distress Sanary suddenly finds herself in. Because just as he's about to reply to them...

    In comes Archer to be a jerk.

    Shirou's blood runs cold upon seeing the Knight in Red's expression and - "-GET AW--" THRUST.

    Horror mixes with a sudden spike of anger and disbelief all over Shirou's face.

    "What the... are you a Servant or a monster?! Sanary!" Concern for Sanary overrides hatred of Archer. Shirou dashes in too! Ignoring... pretty much everything else. But he only grinds to a halt a bit away when he realizes Archer...

    ... Might actually be an enemy, and not just a jerk. "Doesn't anyone get that starting hostilities right inside a village is STUPID?!"

Sanary Rondel has posed:
     By the time Sanary notices the movement from behind her, it's already too late. Her armor, as tough to break as it is, is built more for taking hits from giant monsters rather than pinpoint strikes. Even with the shield on her back, it doesn't quite block enough of her back to get in the way. As a result, Archer's blade finds its mark fairly easily, going right through her lower back and rupturing... Something or another. Several somethings, probably. Hell if she knows what.

     Plus, there's the horrible stabbing pain to consider. She cries out sharply from that stab, her knees buckling first as she turns her head slowly to try and identify the culprit. That white hair, that red jacket, and that Tracing thing... It could only be one of two people. And since Shirou was standing right in front of her...

     "Archer? You... Dick." She can already feel most of her strength leaving her even while she moves forward slowly to try and get that blade out, hopefully enough to collapse into Caster's hold. She can barely even register the fact that Lezard's calling up the undead, either, although to be fair.... Horrible stabbing pain.

     Although she doesn't quite have the strength to fight back at this point, she can at least try to refocus her energies on trying to speed up her own regeneration fast enough to not bleed to death in some shitty village. She's not doing all that well at it on her own, but the extra healing sent her way by both Caster and Bertram do keep her body from shutting down and going into shock on the spot.

     What a terrible way to start the work week.

Psalm (181) has posed:
    And now this has all gotten needlessly complicated. Psalm looks up at Lezard and his undead and over at the stabbing and Bertram healing Sanary and all of it just... buh.
    Well. The undead are not /eating/ the villagers, but this is still worrying.
    Archer and Shirou are both here. Archer is using that damnable Trace ability, which makes her squint her eyes between the two...

    Bertram is being a Noble Soul, and that lowers her ire over there.

    When in doubt, be Dramatic. She snarls and slams the blade of the Gleamsong edge against a petrified tree, a loud, crystal clear tone ringing out across the landscape. She holds it up, and the blade's tone warbles into a warning melody. "RIGHT, YOU LOT. This is turning rapidly into a dog's breakfast and you are being EXTREMELY RUDE." Her baleful gaze flicks between Archer and Lezard. "What problem do you people have against THEATRE?" She lets out a pitch perfect note of rage, her contralto voice carrying, rallying the Undead to more rapid movement (and also attempting to prevent them from desiring Tasty Brains)

Archer (821) has posed:
    Archer doesn't hesitate to level his blade, still red with Sanary's blood, above the girl's head in response to the actions of the other mage trying to heal her, regarding him coldly. "You and I are two different people, I'm afraid - the fact that you would waste your stopping power on healing an opponent when that Servant would do it anyway proves as much."

    When he catches sight of Emiya Shirou though... his cold demeanor once again shifts to one of offhanded amusement, even going as far as to shrug at the latter. In the background, he can hear the Caster spouting something, but she hasn't moved yet, his attention directed to the boy for a moment so as to hammer his delusional ideals of chivalry the slightest bit more. "The answer to that should be obvious - after all, anything that isn't human is by definition a monster, is it not. To be a monster is to devalue the lives of other humans for the sake of accomplishing a goal." With this, his gaze turns cold as ice as he looks the boy in the eye. "And learning to sacrifice some lives, and kill others, for the goal of saving the many... those are what are historically called 'heroes.' Is that not so, Emiya Shirou?"

    However, Archer's words are left unanswered - or rather, he does not wait to hear the reply - as the unknown Caster begins diving for the girl he impaled, gripping Sanary's body and applying some form of potion - and in doing so, was stuck with Archer gripping Sanary's body from the shoulder, his own strength under Reinforcement to keep her from just pulling Sanary away. Once again, she made it clear she was different from Medea - the witch would have bombarded her from a distance instead of rushing in like this.

    

    Then, Archer smirked. "If you really want her back that badly, I'll gladly oblige you."

    In the next instant, the red-clad Servant wrenched Sanary's body back.... and in a single swift movement, threw her off to the side, sending her flying like a rag-doll through the woods, hopefully opening up an avenue of attack for-

    And then any plans Archer had went straight to hell as legions of undead began materializing across the village.

    Looking around, Archer gave a sigh of long-suffering exasperation - it was just one thing after the other. Crossing his arms, he looked at the new mage and apparent summoner coldly. "And you are?"

Circe (701) has posed:
    Caster is focused on getting to Sanary to heal her with a bottle of blue liquid she retrieves from... Somewhere. A bounded field maybe? She intends to get out of here with her allies. Archer being a complete tool is aggravating but as long as he doesn't do anything else to get in the way, ignorable. Not that it's not going to result in animosity in the future. She dematerializes in a swirl of red like burning embers, moving quickly to appear in Sanary's path, and rematerialize to grab her. Then she is free to heal the healer the rest of the way. This situation has gone completely out of control, and Caster has zero interest in fighting. But she does take the time to snarl back at Bertram as he insists she provoked him, "I don't think that word means what you think it means."

    Then she looks upon Lezard's tactics, unsure at first what he is doing, but the villagers seem to be getting kidnapped rather than killed, so this is actually a very clever maneuver. The villagers can do whatever. She doesn't care. They're being picked up and carted away, even their warriors having little chance. But it serves as a great big distraction and places an immediate threat for the heroes to deal with OTHER than pursuing Caster and anyone who chooses to depart with her.

    "You have my thanks, necromancer," Circe offers sincerely. Rudeness and denouncement of divinity aside. She aspires to be a goddess but she never thought for a moment making some bunch of primitives worship her would make it so. It was a game for her. But now that game has turned into violence and it's no longer interesting.

    Lezard is correct in one thing: THIS is not going to make her a goddess. She is half-goddess, but no amounts of grovelling nobodies can make up for the other half. So, no matter what she thinks of Lezard as a person, he has been more helpful than perhaps he realizes, by helping Circe to realize sooner than otherwise this is a waste of her time and resources. Even as a game.

    She'll thank him again later.

    Bertram, on the other hand... She is not willing to forgive Bertram just because he helped heal Sanary. He attacked HER and then insulted HER for being upset! She is the type to carry a grudge. Like, 'turn every single person an offender knows, every family member, every friend, into wildlife' level of grudge. As she carries Sanary up into the air in her arms, she says, "If we ever meet again, do not expect me to let you attack first."

    She heard Sanary mention the class of this unknown Archer, and refocuses her attention on Psalm. "There's nothing further to gain here. I do not know this Archer's abilities, but I'd just as soon not find out right now. Let us depart and return our allies to safety. Magatha, if you could be a dear and aid in covering our retreat if the lunatic tries to take any more stabs at us, that would be much appreciated. Theater will have to wait until we have a less hostile audience. You may remain if you wish, but... Do not endanger yourself."

    She is very, very reluctant to leave her Master in this place. Especially with three hostiles and only Lezard of all people to protect her. But she knows Psalm herself is not helpless, and Lezard as well is quite powerful. If Psalm refuses, Circe can not force her.

Psalm (181) has posed:
    'Theatre will have to wait'. Magatha staggers as Circe utters those words, not taking her eyes off the Unionites and ESPECIALLY NOT ARCHER now that he's been a fuck. "You wound me, Solanda, how could you?"
    The greatsword comes up, though, and the bard trills a little lilting tune. She suddenyl moves with a double POP of displacing air, moving to interpose herself between the Unionites and her Servant. "Come now, boys, just walk away and we won't have to be any more unpleasant than is necessary."

Lezard Valeth has posed:
The villagers are hustled off, alive and unharmed as Psalm uses her own abilities to increase their speed. The villagers are carried, escorted, or forcibly hauled towards the jungle while the Necromancer of Midgard turns to looks upon the heroes present. He does not immediately raise his hand against the pair, looking down and smiling to himself. "Is this all you possess, Servant?" Lezard states simply, spreading his hands and shrugging. "When was the last time you have truly tested your blades? As I have stated, my name is Lezard Valeth."

He slides his gaze over towards Shirou, then. "And Magus Shirou, it has been too long. How are you getting along?" He doesn't respond to Psalm, as he doesn't want to draw attention to the songstress and ruin her chances of escape. Instead, he gestures to the pair. "Tell me, how are you coming along with your magic?" He says, his tone incisive. "Are you still lacking the power to achieve your goals?"

Bertram Silent (826) has posed:
"Your view on heroism is needlessly cynical, and doesn't describe much of a hero." So says the Warrior of Light. Not that Bertram is quite certain that's what he is. He folds his arms, and looks upon Lezard. "Lezard Valeth, I am Bertram Silent. Pray let the locals go. If not, I must needs force you to." He says it calmly, but with an edge to it, he's not backing down from this.

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    Sacrificing a few to save the many...

    The familiar concept hits Shirou again. But this time the boy grits his teeth instead of just TAKING it. "That's not true! What kind of hero stabs someone in the back when there's nothing to even fight over?! And you're not even helping anything by stabbing Sanary. There was no fight here!" Until Archer brought it here, he means.

    And he's yelling about this at the top of his voice, infuriated, and... completely ignoring the outbreak of undead around him. For a good twenty seconds of that yelling.

    Only afterwards does he look around and... get a really good look at what's going on.

    The boy's face jsut turns from outraged to even more disbelieving. This situation inspires lots of incredulity, yup...

    "... What's even happening anymore..."

    Enter Lezard again. The boy blinks a few times, mind churning to figure out just what Lezard's game is this time.

    Is he lacking power?

    His goals?

    Instead of giving a proper answer, Shirou chokes up on the spot and doesn't give a very prompt reply. Instead what Lezard gets is, "If you've come offering some kind of devil's bargain I'm not interested in it. I'm making progress."

Sanary Rondel has posed:
     Sanary's not quite clear where she even is for the time being. Getting fed some kind of potion by Circe, healed by Bertram directly, getting tossed by Archer (that dick), and... Are those skeletons in the village? Those are skeletons.

     Well, Shirou can probably take care of it. Or Lezard, if... Hell, she barely even knows what Lezard's up to. And Psalm was... "Is it a.. Guh. Good idea to leave her alone out here?" She mutters groggily while keeping the energy flowing into her wound, making sure to divert a bit to Caster. It can't be that easy carrying her in that armor even with whatever magic the Servant is using, after all, and the healer's at least stable enough to not have to worry about dying on the spot now. Probably.

     "Freaking... Nn. Didn't even get any good hits in."

Archer (821) has posed:
     "Do yourself a favor" Archer remarked to Psalm, regarding her over his shoulder for a moment, eyes focusing on the visible marks on her hand - Command Spells. "Pull out while you still can. Would you really risk your Servant's tie to the world by facing us?" He lets the question hover in the air - so long as she doesn't directly attack, he has no reason to strike back. Not with her Servant pulling out.

    If she did, though... he'd retaliate in kind.

     "That depends on how much of a challenge you think you can give me" Archer retorted - though at least part of this was actually a question; he didn't know the full extent of this mage's abilities. However, the way he acted - and the magic he practiced regarding altering and tampering with spirits and things dead to the world - made the Servant uneasy. It reminded him slightly of Matou Zouken in both atmosphere and demeanor.

    However, in spite of his actions, he hadn't killed the villagers. But at the same time, that didn't mean his keeping them alive meant anything good for them.

    Hearing the boy rage at him and the accusation from the mage, Archer tilts his head and shrugs off-handedly, speaking to them both at once. "Heroes are those who's actions have earned them a place in history, even if that history is left unknown to the rest of humanity. A hero is someone who strikes down his opponents, both to preserve lives and defend his fellows - and it was clear enough that the girl wasn't going to back down, now was she? Had I done nothing, do you honestly believe she would have quietly walked away? Would you have endangered these villagers with a drawn-out battle instead of ending the threat swiftly?" When the mage - Lezard Valeth as he called himself - directed a question to Shirou, Archer couldn't help but scoff, though a sarcastic smile once again pulled at his lips as he did so - "It isn't power the boy lacks in. It's knowledge and foresight - the ability to see the flaws in his path. Trust me - no amount of power you or /anything/ could offer him will ever be enough to make his goals reality."

    After all... as someone who made a contract with the World itself and served the collective will of Humanity as an entity, Archer knew all too well that whatever Lezard offered would never be enough.

    Flashes of prana formed in the Servants hands, Kanshou and Bakuya forming in his grip. "What exactly do you intend to do, then? I should point out that you're outnumbered."

Lezard Valeth has posed:
And now everyone is paying attention to him. Awesome. EVERYTHING IS WORKING AS PLANNED.

Lezard's mental assessment of Archer causes a subtle shift in his stance, his gaze moving as he adjusts his glasses. Bertam, however, is responded to first. "The villagers are perfectly safe. They have simply been moved from the area and are being protected until I leave."

Protected? Or held hostage? Fine line there, nerdboy.

"My business here will be quick." He states, looking back to Archer. "Are you truly lecturing this foolish boy on heroism? He must be quite delusional indeed to need such directions." He chuckles at that. "He lacks in so many things. So many, many things..."

The formation of Kanshou and Bakuya causes Lezard's eyes to narrow. Those blades... "Again..." He whispers. "Well then, this /is/ interesting. Yes, coming here has been quite worthwhile... But outnumbered or not, I have a point to make before I leave."

As soon as Shirou states that he is making progress, Lezard looks over and snaps, "Prove it, boy! SHADOW SERVANT!" From beneath Shirou, there is a surging explosion of blackness, an eruption of Abyssal Dark as a jellyfishlike blob of Humanity surges upwards through his position, threatening to sear the boy with the touch of the the Abyss of Lordran before vanishing.

A moment later, the mage hurls himself from the building, leaping through the air and coming down with the black staff in his hand, following up the magical strike with a literally earth-shattering blow, as Shirou will find if he avoids it. "You have nothing, boy! NOTHING!"

Circe (701) has posed:
    "It is not. It is against my best judgment as a Servant and as her sister." Caster answers. She is far stronger than a normal human being, even without being a physical combatant, and her levitation doesn't seem to be impacted by Sanary's armor, but she is also not used to physical labor so will probably not want to carry Sanary all the way back to medical. But that's not her greatest concern right now. "It's my duty to stay and protect her. But she has her own way of doing things, her dramatic presentations. I admire them. And while I would love to stay and support her, I must also respect the theater of her standing up to the enemy herself. ...Oh, and I suppose with Lezard there as well. The two of them are quite powerful. I trust they will make it out alive."

    She is silent as she continues flying through the air with Sanary, staying low to the canopy to avoid any arrows or wind or anything. Then she comes to a stop. She can't abandon Psalm. She just can't. So she flies back for her. "I apologize. It will be a few moments longer. Our transport we arrived upon is nearby. We shall make for it while Lezard distracts them." And once she has picked up both her Master AND Sanary, that is exactly what she does! Though she keeps her senses out for any sneak attacks from behind by Archer, because she kind of has reason to distrust him now.

    But she really, really needs to speak to Shirou. From what she knows, he is from the same world as she is, and a magus. Though they are obviously on opposite sides of the war, there is value to be had in reasonable discussion. And he seems the one most likely to engage in such n the future.

    Provided no one gets stabbed again.

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    "He's not outnumbered! I've got no reason to fight him here as long as he intends to let those people go now that they're out of harms way." Shirou stares a bit at Lezard questioningly. Does he?

    "I wasn't going to start a fight here! There's no point. It'd just hurt someone or ruin the village."

    Lezard quickly makes things even MORE COMPLICATED THOUGH. Shirou detects the hostility a breath before the actual manifestation. With a grunty squawk he dives forward at seemingly the last moment. The dark mass of raw humanity catches the back of his leg and some of his back but Shirou pays this little mind. he instead turns the dive away into a roll and flips it around with his back to a building.

    And down comes Lezard.

    This is just TOO RIDICULOUS AND RANDOM! "WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?!" he almost comically protests. "Trace, on!" Kanshou in one hand, Bakuya in the other. the two weapons form at the last possible second and come up in a cross guard. Sizzling with leftover prana, they absorb the blow rather deftly... or rather, the ground under SHirou absorbs the blow, cracking and cratering, yet SOMEHOW his body isn't squished in the process.

    Putting everything he's got into it, Shirou deflects the staff away and leaps back. "What are you doing?! Don't wreck the village!"

    This is stupid. this is REALLY STUPID.

Archer (821) has posed:
    "And yet, a fight was what you were about to get. The girl wasn't going to stand down. Either she fell... or you would have. Battle was unavoidable... at least unless someone struck first." Archer's words are cold and resolute, unflinching as the boy protests his actions. "As for him" he glances at Lezard, "do you really intend to take him for his word and leave all those people's lives to chance? Heroes are meant to save people, are they not?"

    Hearing Lezard's words, Archer's smirk seems to deepen... though his eyes show a spark of inquisitiveness. "Delusional? Heh... you don't even know the half of it. He lacks much as well - no passions of his own. No real desires aside from his single dream. But what he lacks in... is not power." With this, Archer's gaze seems to hold a hint of something deeply bitter behind the cold steel of his eyes. "No... if anything it's the opposite. Acquiring power would only be the final blow. The last step on the path toward becoming a hero; the sacrifice of his remaining humanity."

    When the mage releases his shadow-creature, Archer curses to himself as he takes a step back, a rather bad memory of the Shadow in his world impaling him coming to mind.

    . As Lezard attacks, Archer throws Kanshou and Bakuya at the Shadow, working on offsetting it so that Shirou can have his time to think before his mind buckles from the insanity around him even as Archer barks out an order - "Forget the huts - they can be rebuilt! Keep your focus on the battle, boy!"

Lezard Valeth has posed:
The violence is raw, savage, and senseless. The battle here is hollow and without meaning. These people mean nothing to Lezard, he has functionally said as much, just more faces in an infinite crowd.

The surge of Darkness gets cloven through by Archer's blades, severing the wash and giving Shirou the opening he needs to defend himself. However, it's when Shirou cries out, objecting as he falls back in confusion, that Lezard simply stands there in the crater and pushes up his glasses. "You /have/ improved... I /wonder/ how that is. You had so little capacity before. Are you..." He pauses, and then chuckles. "You're drawing from another source, are you not? Fascinating... A NOVICE MISTAKE!" There is a sudden shockwave as Lezard calls up another massive surge of mana, surging to the level of a Noble Phantasm quickly as another Magic Circle forming beneath him. As he speaks, his voice ripples and reverbrates as the light dims around him.

"If ye trust that thy eternal bonds may be broken, then let my words be as a vengeful blade upon thee!"

Behind him, a massive spear of black metal erupts, incised with terrible crimson runes. It rips up through the ground and hangs in the air, spinning with terrible purpose as it points down and orients upon Shirou.

"COSMIC SPEAR!"

Jets of multicolored light stream from the sear as it befins to corkscrew and descend with horrifying force, aimed directly for Shirou as Lezard strikes with single-minded determination and overwhelming magical power.

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    "No passions of my own?!" Shirou echoes. Although... he can't really argue.

    And finally, the last nail in this coffin of determining the Archer Servant's identity is driven in.

    He'd known in a way, but kept shoving it from his mind. "This dream... is all I need!"

    Angry and now DETERMINED to defy Archer, Shirou sets his sights on Lezard... but nevertheless trembles at the sheer amount of magic energy being summoned up. He really can't possibly dodge that. or deflect it. If he does...

    yeah. He'll die. No doubt about it.

    So then there's only one choice. Defense.

    "/My body is made of swords./" The boy intones deeply, extending a hand and gritting his teeth while his Magic Circuits churn and fizzle, power gathering as the best defense his inner world contains is conjured outwards. Pinkish light flickers in his palm and "RHO AIAS!!"

    The little blip blossoms outwards to form first a flower-like barrier.. then forwards, constructing layer after layer of defenses. Four thick layers of the sublimed 'greatest shield for stopping spears'!

    The Cosmic Spear is halted the moment it strikes, fracturing the first layer and continuing to press. The discharge of prana sends sparks and arcs flying everywhere.

    Then the first layer's punctured.

    "Just... what... are you... TALKING ABOUT?!" He barks back at Lezard, too focused at supporting Rho Aias to speak clearly!

Lezard Valeth has posed:
The Cosmic Spear strikes Rho Aias, the pair emitting a massive fluctuation of power as the two powers grind against each other. The Great Magic continues to circulate, power surging through the Manus Catalyst as Dark leaks from the weapon, emitting regular pulses of shattering force as it tries to dig through that great shield. "Even if you have that power, how much can you actually use, Magus?" Lezard calls out. "Will it all be there when you require it? Can you survive when someone seeks your end? You are still too weak!"

There is another sudden surge as the force behind the spear redoubles, Lezard increasing the power behind his spell even further. "And if you cannot defeat this, your dream is as empty as your mind! Hahahahaha!"

Archer (821) has posed:
     "A mistake you say?" Archer's words hold notes of cynicism, bemusement and even an undertone of chiding to it. "Last I knew, the mage's way to use whatever tools assure victory. Drawing off outside sources is just another means to the end."

    Inwardly though... he understands what the mage means. If you took in prana that was beyond what you could handle, the Magic Circuits could strain - or even break. A death that not even the Holy Grail could fix - if it happened, the body was as good as dead. After all... that was how the last Shirou that Archer met had lost his body. How that Shirou had been forced to have his soul transplanted into an artificial body. He'd had glimpses of the last moments Shirou had in that body - and he'd been told by Rin what the aftermath had been.

    Yet... that didn't seem to be what this Shioru was doing. His prana was more his own then anything else - rather, the charging method simply looked like it was increased.

    He wouldn't backfire... but he wouldn't be able to win, either.

     When the black bolts of the spear begin to focus on Shirou, Archer contemplated trying to intervene... but, in the end, he didn't. Not because he couldn't... but because that was the last thing he should do.

    This was what the boy needed to see. And Lezard's actions were the perfect way for Archer to make his /own/ point be made.

    "You're wrong, Lezard. And deep down, you know it..." with this, Archer smirks slightly. "Because you now know I exist." He glances to Shirou, seeming to half pity him as he speaks. "You must have figured it out, right? The truth?" He then closes his eyes and crosses his arms. "You know he's wrong - that you /can/ in fact get the power to beat him without following his demands... but the problem with that... is that you now know where that path leads, don't you? You finally have some understanding of what you'll become."

    Opening his eyes again, Archer levels his younger self with a gaze that could pierce stone, seeming as though he's trying to bore into the boy's soul to see what the answer will be. "Which will it be, Emiya Shirou? What do you wish to sacrifice more? What is it you truly wish to become?"

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    This is bad. This is really, REALLY bad. Emiya Shirou made the right choice in going full defense, but this only will work if he can actually STOP THE DAMNED SPEAR.

    "Why does everyone think--ghhhh...!!" Sparks flare and light sizzles. Another layer of Rho Aias shatters within a few seconds and Shirou's arm develops a strange case of bloody torn flesh simultaneously... searing pain ccompanies it but as always, pain doesn't stop him.

    He can't stop this. If he does, he'll DIE!

    This is the most his shield has ever been pressed, and possibly the best quality projection of it he's ever done.

    A life or death panic can do that.

    The NOISE of this clash is phenomenal. Like a jet engine roaring in everyone's ears! Yet somehow... important things being said seem to be heard.

    The boy growls, teeth clenched, and roars back in full defiance, "Why does that bother you so much... you should know! We've both been through the same hell! I don't just WISH to become one... /I WILL BECOME A HERO OF JUSTICE!/"

    And the final layer of Rho Aias shatters, witht he last ergs of SHirou's prana pumped into it. The resulting detonation of pure power obscures EVERYTHING and likely FLATTENS the hut he had his back to. But looking carefully...There's a trail of dust and smoke going back out through the hut. Two or three huts. Behind all of them, lying limp on the ground and gasping wetly for breath is a bloodied, scorched heap of a boy whose whole body shakes in trying to rise.

Lezard Valeth has posed:
As Rho Aias shatters, Lezard lowers his staff, releasing his magic. It would not do to have Shirou /actually/ die here.

That's not in the plan.

"Oh, you are absolutely correct." Lezard replies to Archer. "A Mage uses whatever tools are necessary to ensure victory... I like that phrase. It reminds me of... Heh. No matter." Lezard shakes himself, as if trying to fight off a measure of fatigue himself. Then again, he's not the one splattered against a hut over yonder. "Oh yes, it became obvious as soon as I observed your technique. He can most certainly make his way without me... But I know how to craft Magic Circuits. I am willing to give him the power he so desperately wishes for. After all..."

He turns away from Shirou. "A Hero of Justice without the power to make his ideals reality... Is simply a corpse waiting to happen." He makes a gesture, then, and in the distance, the Undead are engulfed by violet and black holes, sent back to the hell from whence they came. "When you tire of being weak, Magus Shirou, you will know where to find me."

With a laugh, the teleportation circle forms under him, and should no one intervene, that is what he will leave them with.

Archer (821) has posed:
    When the Aias shatters, Archer squints at the explosive blast of raw prana... and yet a small scowl is present on his face.

    The boy did it. Even though the shield broke and it's user was blown back... the boy really had done it. He stopped the black spear without dying.

    And yet... in a way, he'd still lost, hadn't he? It hadn't been an equal exchange.

    Sighing as he sees the battered child's body trying to rise again, he casts an exasperated glance at Lezard...

     "Trace; On."

    ... and a cage of nameless blades forms over the mage's head, as if daring him to try to complete the spell before they are fired... though they are little more then a show of force.

    Something to show Lezard he's not quite right about /power/ being the issue in the Servant's mind, as Archer has plenty of that... and yet feels he knows all too well what little different it makes. "What exactly are you trying to prove? Can't you understand that no offer you make him will deter him? Every time you knock him down, he will simply stand back up and search for the means to keep going. The brat doesn't understand how to give up - he doesn't know how."

    The Servant's gaze then narrows slightly, seeming more inquisitive now. "Moreover... why are you trying to save him with a deal he'll never take?"

    It was an odd way of phrasing it... but it was the only way Archer could see it that made sense.

     "However... before you even think of saying anything else to the boy... let me give you a word of warning." With that, Archer steps forward - towards Shioru, with Kanshou and Bakuya still drawn, back turned toward Lezard.

     "Take it from me... it doesn't matter how much power you give him - he'll /never/ have the power to make his dream a reality. He will always be too weak to do anything about his fate... and I intend to make him realize that. So you might as not bother waiting for him to come for you... because if I have anything to say about it, he'll never reach the end of that cursed road either way. Not after he learns what the full scope of its cost is... and if he doesn't..."

    At this, Archer gives what seems to be a grim, bitter... and almost ominous smile. "Well, if that happens.... I promise, you won't have to worry about him ever again."

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    Shirou... is DOWN. Bloodied and battered. Broken bones are probably involved but with him curled up in a mangled heap it's hard to say. Some of the wounds glow, though... and tiny tendrils of steel weave out like wriggling worms, linking together and slowly 'stitching' the wounds shut.

    Weird.

    But the boy is... on the verge of unconsciousness. Or... he should be. Archer etting near with blades still drawn and still talking up a headache-inducing storm shakes him out of that! "Just what did you do... that made things turn out this way...?" Grunts and groans escape him. The boy's knees shift slowly under him. He's TRYING to gather his strength to rise, but he doesn't really have ANY left.

    That will probably change shortly though, knowing the healing properties of Avalon...

Lezard Valeth has posed:
Lezard glances up at the swords that appear over his head, and he frowns. That could be inconvenient. Oh well. He looks back to Archer and shakes his head. "Whyever would I want him to stop? If I wished his dream to die, I would attempt to kill him here and now. Perhaps you could stop me, but it does not matter right now."

At the narrowed eyes, the Necromancer simply smiles, the gleam of the growing circle reflecting from his glasses. "'Never' Is a very long time, Servant. You should know better than even I... And I would not be so certain were I in your place."

When it comes to the remainder, Lezard simply shrugs. "It is within my power to change such things. To change everything. The domain of Man and God holds no meaning to the one who has the will. Perhaps you should worry more about yourself."

He reaches up and pushes up his glasses. "On the other hand, perhaps you are doing just that. Heh heh heh heh..."

Archer (821) has posed:
     In return, Archer's smirk doesn't fade. "You might want to consider the meaning of those words of yours. After all... you're right on one count - nobody likely understands the concept of 'never' better then I. So you might want to consider what I know, now wouldn't you?"

    Anything else after that, Archer ignores for the most part. His attention is focused on the boy... or rather, the injuries that were healing.

    He knew that ability. He'd lived with it - been kept alive by it when he righty should have died multiple times over. And yet... for it's power to manifest without /her/ being around...

    Just what had the boy done to himself while in the Multiverse?

    Whatever the case though, it seemed that Emiya Shirou was not destined to die today... not that Archer could change that. Rin would likely find out - and that was a debacle he already wasn't looking forward to facing.

    Besides... after what happened the last time he let an Emiya Shirou choose a different path... he was curious to see if this one had the ability to do the same. He was curious as to what this Shirou had learned... and what he'd seen that could have made him so resolute in such a bloody place as the Multiverse.

    Much like Lezard, Archer vanishes from sight - both contemplating the results of this day, and both having made their goals clear. One calculatingly... and the other broodingly.

    Whatever the future held for Emiya Shirou... Archer wouldn't let it be the same as his. Not so long as he had any say in the matter.