The East Quarter

The dim bulb illuminating the basement flickered on and off a few times, as it had been doing periodically for the last few days. It was due a replacement, but Max had more important things to worry about. This house had been a den for squatters till he'd arrived a few weeks ago and driven them away. Most of it was without power, but he'd been able to hook up a generator to the basement's wiring with enough juice to keep the lights and the few other electronics he needed working. More importantly, it was off the radar. It was the kind of place most mages, in their arrogance, wouldn't bear to be associated with. A place where the dregs of humanity congregated. He had little worry of being interrupted here for the time being, which was good. The element of surprise would be his best asset in the early days of this war. None of the other mages knew there was an eighth master to contend with. With any luck, he would be able to take out more than one before that surprise was lost.

Max leaned forwards in the chair he'd set at the edge of the room and steepled his fingers. The circle he had laid out covered most of the room's concrete floor, the other furnishings shoved aside to make room. All the preparations were complete, and the catalyst - an obsidian shard fastened upon a leather cord - sat at its centre. He did not know what kind of spirit it would summon. He only knew it as a catalyst by the knowledge of the mage he had killed for it - another would-be master, slain before the command seals were distributed. It possessed a thrum of otherworldly power that made it clear to Max that the mage had been right. That was all that mattered. Whatever servant he called forth, he would make do, and he would win.

All that was left now was the ritual. That would be the real test. Whether the spirit would answer his call with stolen command seals, or if the grail would somehow refuse him.

No, that wasn't an option. It would work.

The young man rose to his feet. He took a deep breath, and extended his palm towards the circle. He brought his other hand up and across in a swift motion, slashing across his palm with a knife and letting the blood splatter onto the circle as he began to chant.

"Let silver and steel and blood be the essence.
Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the foundation.
Let black be the color I pay tribute to.
Let my great Master Cassandra be the ancestor."

The weight of powerful magic began to fill the room, turning the air thick with tension. Crackling energy began to dance along the lines of the chalk circle, and an unnatural wind kicked up, sending papers fluttering from the nearby desk.

"I hereby declare.
Your body shall serve under me.
My fate shall be your sword.
Submit to the beckoning of the Holy Grail
If you will submit to this will and this reason…Then answer!

An oath shall be sworn here!
I shall attain all virtues of all of Heaven.
I shall have dominion over all evils of all of Hell! "

As the ritual neared its climax, the weight in the air turned ominous, dark shadows dancing along the walls. The flickering light overhead faltered and dimmed even further, as a shroud fell over the room, draining the colour from it and suffusing it with gloom. The wound on Max's palm closed up, burned shut by the crackling magic. Before long, only the now-brilliant light of the magic flowing through the circle pierced through the shadows.

"From the Seventh Heaven, attended to by three greet words of power,
Come forth from the ring of restraints,
Protector of the Holy Balance!"
 
The shadows in the room coalesced into the circle, the singular bulb in the room grew bright before exploding in a shower of Sparks and glass. The shadows began to take shape within the circle, their darkness almost snuffing out it's light. A figure took form from the shadows, a dark blue cloak formed first, it clung around the figures shoulders, which then came to form, it's body was covered in half plate armor, the color of the armor was as black as the shadows that gave it life. Shaggy dirty blonde hair formed next coming down to it's ears, it's skin was pale and nearly white in color. Lastly, a sword formed at its hip. He, for the figure was most definitely a male, was kneeling on one knee in the circle eyes closed.

"Your plea has been heard, and I have answered." He spoke not opening his eyes, "May your enemies tremble as we-" he opened his eyes and stopped, "You, you are not a Master chosen to summon a Servant," he rose and as he did the shadows around him engulfed the room, snuffing out any remaining light, "Who are you to summon me, one who does not carry the right?"

He drew his sword and pointed it at the mage, he would have an explanation, and if he didn't get a reason that satisfied him, he would strike the mage down, consequences be damned. "Answer me, or face my blade."
 
Max met the servant's gaze without flinching away from his sword. Fear wouldn't help him here - the spirit would agree to serve him, or he would die. He doubted there would be other options. "I carry just as much right as any," Max answered, holding his hand up to display his command seals. "But my right has been earned, not gifted to me. Do you question that a power taken through my own will and action is a power I have the right to? If my conviction was in doubt, those doubts ought have been dispelled when I took these seals from Ruler. I looked death-made-flesh in the eyes and defied it."

The young man spread his arms out in a gesture of surrender, holding his head high. "I have proved my worthiness in the eyes of the grail, or else the seals would not remain. But if you find me lacking, then kill me now and be done with it."
 
This certainly was interesting, this boy showed no fear when posed with certain death, he faced it with courage, or bravado, whichever it was it intrigued the man. His sword lowered, he wasn't sure if going against Ruler was a bright idea, but it would sure make things interesting.

"Very well, so by your own merit you gained the right, but I ask this before swearing to serve." The man looked at the boy tilting his head, "Why?"

That was what he truly wanted to know, this boy risked his entire life, on the hopes that he wouldn't be killed. He had stolen seals and challenged the Ruler without hesitation. He had already decided to serve, he just wanted to know the boys reasoning first.
 
"This world is full of magi who are cruel, cold-hearted and monstrous," Max answered, lowering his arms and stepping over to the table at the side of the room to lean on it, staring down at the pile of notes upon it as he went on. "The power of magic corrupts humans, drives them to unspeakable acts all in the pursuit of power. It's said that to become a true magus one must discard their morality, that concepts of good and evil are irrelevant to them. For that reason my family and I have hunted those magi who overstep their bounds and inflict their cruelties on innocent victims for generations. But it is a losing fight. For every cruel magus we stop, there are a hundred more to take their place. And so I seek to end the cruelty at its source. I want to free humanity from the tyranny of mages, and the corruption of magic."

He straightened, looking back over his shoulder at where the servant waited. "My wish is to purge all magic from this world. We humans have proved that we cannot wield it for good, and once it is removed entirely, the world will be a better place for it."
 
The man smiled at that, what ambition, what pure intent. This would make for an interesting war. He sheathed his sword, and as he did so the shadows in the room receded. "Very well, your answer has satisfied me, I will serve you." He said kneeling, "Master."
If they succeeded then they would change the world as they knew it, no more wars like this one, no more magic, servants would never be called upon again, they could stay where they were. "Now the question is, where do we start." He said, "Ruler is obviously coming for us, what do we do? Do you have a plan boy?"
 
"Firstly, we need to change location," Max answered. "Ruler might not have our location just yet, but the magic of the summoning ritual is something he can probably track. We shouldn't linger here long. I have another place in mind to set up in. It shouldn't be too hard to get there. I can hide my magical circuits, in case anyone's watching for mages in the city, as long as you can mask your presence too." As he spoke, the youth began to gather what few belongings he had in the basement, along with the summoning artefact and the other materials he'd used for the ritual.

"The place isn't far. It's an old subway station. Closed for construction work that's stuck behind a wall of red tape and budget cuts. No civilians will bother us there, and it's defensible enough while having plenty of escape routes if needed. Once we're there, I'll set up wards and traps to give us a place to retreat to if we need it. While I'm doing that, I want you to scout around if you can. See if you can identify any other servants, or better, their masters. Don't try and take any servants on in direct combat yet. We don't want to show our hand."

It didn't take Max long to finish packing. "Stay hidden, and on the way there, I'd like you to tell me what you're capable of, so I know how best to put your skills to use. I'll take your advice on that, too, obviously. I won't pretend to know you better than you know yourself."
 
The man smiled at him, "As you wish, I will stay hidden as we travel." His body slowly faded from sight, the last thing to go was a cheshire like grin. "Lead the way master, we have much to discuss and little time to do so." His disembodied voice coming from over his masters shoulder. The man followed the boy as he gathered his things and left the building, he followed close by and whispered to him what he could do, and how to best utilize his abilities. He did not mention his name or who he was as it was not asked, but he told him everything else, powers and all, sparing no detail.
 
It was about a half hour drive from the old flat to the closed-up subway. Max took the drive slow enough to blend in with traffic, using his veiling to mask his magical circuits enough to avoid detection magic. The entrance to the subway was closed off behind barred doors, but a little magic was enough to get past the mundane lock and allow them access. Once they were down there, Max brought his bag down through to one of the security offices where he'd already set up a few necessities.

"I'm going to take some time to set up wards," he explained once he'd unpacked his equipment. "In the meantime, we need to try and get information on who our targets are. Meet me back here in... let's call it ten, when it's dark. Once I've got this place set up we can search around together. Until then, I want you to scout out and see if you can find any other servants. Don't engage them in combat yet, but if you can match any masters to them, that's our primary goal. Taking the mages out will be much easier than targeting the servants. Stay undetected if possible, but otherwise just avoid revealing your identity as an eighth servant. If you need to, identify yourself as Saber."

He paused, then glanced across at his servant. "And avoid Ruler at all costs. The longer he doesn't know your identity the better, and he'll know you as soon as he sees you. Once he does, he'll likely pass on that information to others to help them take us out."
 
After disabling the various alarms and traps stationed at the door to the safehouse, Nameless' shaggy and unwashed self burst through the door. Behind him came Archer, apparently. Once they had reached the town, the spirit had turned invisible as he followed him back, taking the time to talk to Nameless about Knights and Cavalry, as well as why he was invisible in the first place.

Looking around, Nameless notes that aside from the year's worth of dust nothing much had changed. It may be a poor neighbourhood outside, but his former superiors had not skimped on comfort when it came to decorating the place, most likely trying to get in the good books of the company's fastest rising star. Pathetic.

A five room house, the majority of it a soft white. The kitchen, dining and sitting rooms were placed in one large room near the entrance, with the kitchen being to the left of the door and dining to the right. Furthe back into the house was the sitting room adorned with a rather large T.V. Even from where he was standing it was evident that the kitchen alone may have cost more than most residents here earned within a year, with marble tops and all sorts of cooking appliances. The dining table was a rich mahogany, and the couches a dark leather.

Behind all that was a small hallway, ending in a closet. On the left side of the hallway was the guest bedroom and bathroom, whilst on the right was the master bedroom and a door far thicker than the others, which Nameless knew to lead to the armoury.

Marching forward, Nameless swiftly enters the bathroom and slams shut the door behind him in a fervour, rattling the frame. Almost immediately after a shower could be heard. It didn't last long however, and after a mere fifteen minutes a vastly different
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exited.
 
Soft sparks of magic showered after the door closed, Archer rematerializing inside. En route, he'd done what he could to explain what the classes of Servants were, what they represented and how those concepts were put into practice. Of course, first he'd explained his Spiritual Form, although the sudden alarm on the man's face had brought a small chuckle of amusement.

Now that they had arrived, however, Archer took the time to survey the place, going through each room as his companion cleaned up. He noted the exits, windows, and rooms carefully but thoroughly, completing his exploration shortly before he heard the water turn off. Brushing off a few of the seating choices in the main room, he altered his attire for a more mundane appearance, though he kept his jacket and hat. Plain, functioning boots, a pair of black jeans, and a simple grey t-shirt was his appearance when Nameless rejoined him, his appraising eyes glancing over the new suit once.

Arms draped to either side of the couch he'd chosen, he tilted his head to look the other in the eyes. "So, what would you ask of me now, master?"
 
Nameless glanced at Archer for a second, about to reply when a wave of tiredness washed over him. It seemed his body had finally caught up with the idea that an actual bed was available, and after so long, with all that had happened today... Well, a little undulgence would be nice.

Efficiently removing the suit he had just put on and making sure the components did not crumple as he lay them on the table (making sure to clear it of dust first of course), he looks over at Archer. "Perform reconnaissance. Get the lay of the land and see if you can't find any of our opponents. If you do, on some off chance, do not engage and simply watch. Report back here at 0700. You know the code."

With that done, the man all but marches his way into the master bedroom, slides under the covers of the bed and immediately falls into, for the first time in almost a year, a dreamless sleep.
 
Archer nodded, and rose. He checked the doors and windows once again, ensuring they were all locked. Then he dematerialized from the room, passing through the home's walls outside.

From there he veered upwards, to the rooftops. Pausing to materialize, he looked around, to better acquaint himself with the area. He elected to begin in a spiral pattern, choosing a suitable taller location, then dematerializing again to travel. Unless otherwise interrupted, he would continue this pattern until the allotted time.
 
The man nodded and bowed to the boy, "As you wish master." He said before vanishing again and making his way out of the building. He made his way around the part of the city, his senses not picking anything up as of yet. He thought it interesting that his master had done something so brazen, even for the cause he served. He was making his way past a taller building when something caught his attention, the presence of another servant. He stopped and turned his attention towards where it came from and went to investigate, knowing that the other servant, whoever they were, had noticed him as well.
 
About to move on, a twinge on his senses brought him about. There was another Servant nearby, and just as he could sense them, so too could they him. Striding across the rooftop, he left his appearance as it was, staring over the edge down at the streets, his regard as cool and focused on the approaching entity.

He was not overly concerned about the proximity of a foe, nor at being caught unprepared by an assault. He held the high ground, and though he was dressed casually, that could change in less than an instant. Archer was silent, still, and intent, arms held loosely at his sides, without visible tension in his posture.
 
The man bunched his legs and jumped, going high into the air, as he came down he pushed off the side of the building, further propelling himself up. He kept doing this until he reached the top. As he jumped he wondered which of the other servants he'd run into first, he wasn't looking for a fight, as his master had said to not engage, he was simply going to great one of his many rivals.
He gave one final jump and arced over the roof coming down behind the other servant who turned to look at him.
He stood and bowed slightly, "Good afternoon," he said straighening himself, "What brings you to this neck of the woods? Simply scouting for your master? Or is there something else?" He asked a smirk on his face and amusement in his eyes.
 
Archer's penetrating eyes locked onto the unknown Servant, slowly turning to square off against the other sharing his place. His hands he slid partly into his pockets, thumbs alone. He wasn't overtly concerned about the chance of attack, both confident in his own mobility, and concrete in his faith in the speed of his draw.

He studied this foe carefully, nothing where the half-plate armor covered, where it didn't. He took in his armament, a single sword. Nothing in his memory recalled a figure so equipped, his identity not known to Archer in life. When his query was spoken, Archer held his silence, remaining within the boundaries of his Master's instructions. He paced along the edge of the roof, keeping his eyes on them, gauging their reaction. As he turned away, his pale blue eyes began to burn with inner light, a minute amount of prana channeled into one of his abilities. Part of what made him an exceptional representative of his class had it's other uses, and he was about to test this unknown Servant.

Picking another, yet taller building about 300 meters off, he dematerialized, darting across the distance to rematerialize at it's far corner, sitting atop a rooftop access door facing back the way he'd come. He leaned backwards with both hands behind him. Only one hand was bracing him posture, however, the other gestured just so behind him. If this one wanted to play games and attempt to get at into his blind spot once again, he would be in for a rather rude awakening.
 
The man chuckled at the others antics, and the silence only made him more curious. He looked around and saw the shadow of a power line that connected a a few buildings, one being the building the other was on, he walked over and as he stepped across the shadow he vanished.He reappeared stepping out of the shadow of the roof the other stood on, smirking. He wondered if the other would do the same again, and thought If he should give chase, but decided that if he did indeed run again he'd just head out again in search of another servant. "Not answering my question how rude, I'm only here to be civil." He said with his hands in his pockets, some people he swore, such a lack of common human decency.
 
Archer's face held the ghost of a smile on it, for he'd won a minor triumph. With his keen sight, he'd noticed that this other Servant had not dematerialized as he had, instead using a form of travel other than that provided to all those summoned into this war. To his words, the man in the hat offered merely a shrug, having already picked out another building...

Another 300 meters on the other side of the rooftop they'd first met. Rising to his feet, he offered the other a bow, his eyes still gleaming with an unnatural light. Then he stepped backwards a few steps, just another more to drop from the edge of the roof, dematerializing in mid fall before traveling once against a high speed to appear several moments later on the distant rooftop. This time he felt like testing a theory, leaning against the door access casting a shadow five feet to his right. He crossed his arms before him, his hands sliding under his jacket to either side.

Still his eyes glowed, as he offered a faint smile and a tilt of his head back to the distant roof. He had his orders...but he was growing tired of having a tail.
 
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