The Library

Jannik shivered at the Librarian's words. He had no desire to even be in the Library any longer, let alone risk fighting the damn curator itself. He could be cocky at times, even an ass, but he wasn't so foolish as to think that the risk would be worth any kind of reward that might be gained. As Rider spoke, he found himself nodding along. After all, leaving was an extremely good option at the current moment.

Still, despite his desire to leave, he couldn't help but follow the action as Lady's Master began to make bit of a show when something about Archer became familiar to her. He smirked slightly at her sudden flare of emotion, wondering if she was actually frustrated or angry at the Servant, or if he had become a convenient target for her to vent at. After all, he hadn't exactly been the most polite partner for conversation.

"I'm a bit curious about that, as well. I'm aware that Archer, as a Servant, can move about independently, to some degree at least, but it strikes me as strange that you would come to a place like this alone. You don't happen to serve Foster, do you?" Jannik didn't expect honesty in the answer, but he figured that he might be able to learn something about Archer if he was asked questions by separate parties. He shot a glance over at the other Master and, for a brief moment, actually looked her over. Not as attractive as her Servant, for a certainty, but she wasn't unattractive either.

He shook his head. Now wasn't the time, let alone the place, and plus, she was too young for him.
 
Lady gripped her sword hilt tightly waiting for the Archer's answer. Valerie believed this servant to be the one originally meant for her, only to be stolen and her family killed. That meant two things. He had already stated he had seen the 8th servant, ruling him out as Max Foster's, unless he was lying. That also meant some other wretched soul had stolen the Archer, killing her family in the process, and likely did come from the inside as she thought.

"He doesnt serve Max Foster," Lady said, "He serves another. A murderer. The one that carries the stench of twisted magic."
 
This claimant to the room he resided spoke in answer to what had been asked, and in response, Archer merely offered a shrug. "I have no plans to begin a battle in these halls."

His gaze tilted to the female swordswoman and the girl with her, then he craned his head around to turn faintly glowing eyes on the giant with his wolf and the boy standing with him. "I had come to try to look into a certain Servant I've encountered. If the owner of these shelves is here in person..."

"...Would it be wrong to ask for a Librarian's help in finding what I need?"

As he'd spoken, his head had turned back towards the Librarian, enough to notice the younger girl studying him curiously. Her outburst caught him by surprise, at first confusion showed on his face before understanding ripped through like a lightning bolt. He detached from his master's supply of prana immediately, using Independent Action fully for the time being. While he empathized with this girl's outrage...Valerie if he recalled the name correctly, he was bound in a contract, with no concrete reason to break it.

Yet.

Opening his mouth to reply, a voice behind him drew a withering glare, the challenging implication within it putting a small flame to smolder in his eyes. Taking a centering breath, he answered the boy first, a simple, hard answer.

"No."

The girl's Servant confirmed his words independently. Valerie's question, however...

He sighed, shaking his head as he regarded her more softly, glancing briefly at the Servant's readiness. "You know as well as I do that I can't answer that question. I'm not entirely sure of the circumstances involving my summons myself, though I have suspicions. I don't even know his name."

And I wonder if he does, either. This whim of his was getting damned complicated for the simple task he'd sought to perform.
 
"The circumstances? The circumstances? He murdered a whole household," she yelled, shaking in fury that ... Archer wasn't responsible for. Still, it spilled out, accompanied by a strange sense of betrayal as she stood face to face with the servant that was meant to help her. Not her family's murderer.

"You don't look blind, I'm sure you saw it all. Did you happen to catch the girl in the back? She was eight. Or the old lady at you feet? That was my grandmother. How could you support this? They were innocent, they weren't part of this war. I'm the one he wants. Where is he, I'll kill him myself!" She stepped forward, a ball of fire in her palm. The girl was clearly operating on grief, no longer the rational or quiet shadow she was moments ago. She had naively thought she was done dealing with these feelings, but alas... The spark of temper was just the tip of the iceberg to what she was feeling.

And she was sure she would feel better once he was dead.
 
"Valerie! Take note of where you are!" Lady said over her seething. "It is not wise to fight here. Not here."

The woman wasn't thinking with a clear head, and Lady knew all too well what can happen when someone loses control.
 
"As I said, I was not sure of the circumstances. As it was, he was virtually naked, looking like he'd come through either extended imprisonment...or torture. He hardly spoke at all until just before he slept. He hardly even knows what I am." He also wants your head on a pike pretty damn bad, but let's stay away from that topic. Archer added mentally, but not out loud.

"As things stand, my contract is formed. Things happened as they are, and neither of us can change that. Please, calm yourself, in case you've forgotten our rather particular host behind you."
 
The chastising voice of her servant was enough to reach her. And Archer's rational words gave her something that she could hold to in place of her grief. He had information. And despite her admittedly rude greeting, he didn't seem opposed to at least speaking with her. Her cheeks flushed pink in embarrassment. All those years of training and she nearly forgot herself just like that. She took a deep breath, snuffed out the ridiculous fireball she was stupid to have in her hand, and clenched her fists.

"Apologies," she said stiffly, her voice empty. "I suppose I'm still upset. ... Was anyone still alive when you were summoned? Was anything said?"

She shouldn't care. She shouldn't care. She shouldn't care.

She was going to regret asking this. This was a stupid question. Her hard eyes finally met Archer's again, imploring him for an answer.
 
"I couldn't see anyone other than my master, but I did not see the whole house. I didn't see whether anyone fled the fire he began, but that doesn't mean anyone didn't. Shortly after, we encountered Ruler, so my attention was elsewhere. He, as I said, virtually didn't speak until we were elsewhere."

And still hardly talking, at least anything that makes sense. A mental grumble, but not worth mentioning aloud. Archer glanced at the shifting Librarian warily, still hoping to learn whether he could be directed at the information he sought, instead of having to hunt for it.
 
Valerie swallowed hard. She nodded once, studying him for a moment longer. It didn't seem like he was lying, which she was grateful for. In a strange twist of events, she almost felt pity for him. Whoever his master was, he didn't seem ... sane. And she had the most uncomfortable feeling in her gut that that was her family's fault. Her lips pursed. She gave him a tight smile. "Thanks for the help." How ironic.

She turned to Lady, eyes softening in an unspoken apology as she stepped closer to her again. "Come on. We've got Foster to find." She glanced at the others, adding over her shoulder. "...If you have any information you'd like to add for his search ... I promise I won't set you on fire," she assured dryly.

She glanced at the shifting Librarian, wondering if he was going to keep doing that all night.
 
Jannik watched and listened. Archer's Master didn't seem stable, if the Servant's words were to be believed. While that was intrinsically good for himself and Rider, as someone unhinged would be less likely to plan for the consequences of actions, it also meant that he had to worry about the dangers of a Master who acted without thinking. Command Seals were dangerous enough on their own, but attached to a madman, they could become the gateway to genocide. As the conversation went, and the girl flared a ball of flame in her hand, only to douse it moments later, Jannik sighed inwardly.

He really, really didn't want to bring the Librarian into a fight, even as a bystander.

When she added that they could add in any information, a part of the mage felt the desire to actively assist them. After all, by just watching, he learned several things about his opponents. Crude as it was to do, she grieved for her dead family, and the feeling was raw and new enough to manipulate her into acting rashly. That, coupled with the potential insanity of another Master brought him a whole host of advantages and disadvantages, but he quelled his mind for a moment, taking better stock of the situation.

He was in a magical library with his Servant, two other Servants, one of whom had their Master with them, and there was a still-shifting mass of Librarian nearby who'd issued dire warnings. One Master had murdered the family of another, apparently intentionally, as a kick-start to the Grail War, and that family's daughter and heir was in the Library with him. One other Master, somewhere out there, was planning on going murdering, and not only that, but he was particularly skilled for such a thing when it came to fighting mages. All in all, it could've been significantly worse, but the situation also could've been worlds better.

"Max Foster comes from a family of Mage Hunters. I don't really know much about him, but there's a decent likelihood that he and I have met before. If so, we were young, and it was before my family shipped me off to some forsaken, ice-locked school to refine what magic I have." he grumbled softly and checked the ward between his shoes, noting it was still holding fine. He'd done good work with the time and material he'd had, though it wouldn't likely last more than another hour or so if he left it alone.

"Beyond that, I can't tell you much. I know that the Foster Family is still fairly important, at least as of last time I checked, which was a few years back, sure, but I'm about as knowledgeable about the aristocracy of the Mage world as any other low-ranked mage. My only shoe in the door among them is my family name." He looked at Valerie for a moment, smirking.

"I won't apologize for lying, because in the Holy Grail War, knowledge can make the difference between life and death, but I will be honest for the moment. My name is Jannik Schreiber, eldest son of House Schreiber" He left it at that. If she knew his family, she'd know he wasn't the heir, but if she wasn't as informed as he figured she was, maybe his name would still mean nothing.
 
The librarian had been privy to everything that was going on between the small parties, and had remained unformed for that particular reason. Slowly, the creature began to reform into a particularly large sphinx, but with that particularly eerie porcelain human mask as its face. It laid down, its black claws digging into the tile below its massive feet without a single sound.

Slowly it turned its attention to the one who asked it a question before. It tilted its massive head, looking out the side of its mask with unblinking glowing eyes. "I am able to assist in a learning of heroes of old and of the future. But I am not allowed to help you in your particular search for information on another servant, even if they are a rule breaker." He answered slowly. "Although the 8th servant entered the fray illegally, it is of the Grail's design that the matters be handled like any other war on my end." His form sharpened with his next words.

"Ruler should handle the affairs of illegal matters. But he is not allowed within my walls again." He said with utmost force.
 
Lady listened to them all, measuring and weighing what knowledge she had. The librarian was not to be trifled with and Schreiber admitted his obvious lies, looking more sheepish by the moment next to his stoic servant, Mag. They only wished to leave and that was something they would have to take up with the owner of the library.

The unaccompanied servant before them was most likely Archer, and had originally been intended for Valerie until something went very wrong at the summoning. His master sounded unhinged at best and was probably the murderer of her Mistress' family that night. Given what she had seen in the basement, it made her wonder if perhaps one of their own experiments had gotten loose. Simply thinking of that laboratory with the terrible taste of warped magic rolling out of it made her want to cringe. The Archer had also run into the 8th servant which could be helpful.

"Aye, mistress we do have some things to read, however before we do I would like to ask if you would share a description of the servant you believe to be the 8th, illegal entry into our war. What he and his master are planning is not simply dangerous for those in the war, but for everyone. Despite whatever condition your master is in, surely you can appreciate that."
 
He nodded, at each query towards him, frowning slightly at the entity's refusal for assistance. Ultimately he shrugged at the Librarian's denial; he would have only gained from asking, losing nothing this way. It seemed it was time to attempt to identify his mysterious partner from the other eve, though he nodded again in the direction of the swordswoman and her Master.

"I can certainly share what I might find, if my suspicions are correct." Archer glanced at the other Master, standing near his giant of a Servant and the equally oversized creature it apparently rode. "Though my offer only applies to this happenstance meeting. Beyond those doors, there is a war going on, and only time will tell how we shall meet during its course."

He started to drift towards the shelves, beginning to bring to the forefront of his thoughts all he could recall of the other who'd tailed him for that brief interaction. He ruled out his doubts, allowing the memories of what he'd seen to roam as he began to peruse the books.
 
Valerie slowly raised a brow at Jennik's speel. "Well. As it is. I knew that. But heeeey. I studied you too? ...for like, an hour. But. You know. You exist to others?" She threw on, trying to damping the obvious insult. Can't be *that* low level if she knew of him, right? Right? Regardless, that wasn't helpful in the slightest. As he had pointed out, any one of any decent upbringing would know of Max's family. Thankfully, she had had a slightly more decent upbringing than most.

...At least where education was concerned.

"Sooooo. I'm going to go research now. Send my regards to your sister. ...Hope she's taking good care of that crest. Cheers."

She turned the corner, leaving with Lady.


Throughout the night they studied, unwavering. It seemed both were familiar and comfortable with late night sessions and dusty pages.
 
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Lady gave a short bow to the other servants, master, and the ever-shifting librarian. "Gentlemen."

With that she turned with a sweep of her honey-colored hair and followed her mistress into the catacombs of the library to study. Sitting around in full armor for reading wasn't particularly comfortable, but it was safer that way. There were still others in the library that could mean them harm and others could still arrive if the librarian opened the gates. She took off her gloves to reveal her scarred hands and ran her fingertips over the books as the passed. This was a place of wonderful knowledge and she understood the librarian's need to protect it.

A book struck her fancy, and she settled next to Valerie. At one point the woman leaned over with a book in hand and she slipped her hand over her mouth to stifle her giggles without much luck. She only paused to unbraid her hair for awhile and let it loose. The braid had become a mess after she ran her hands through it out of habit one too many times while she was thinking. Every now and then, she would reach out with her sixth sense to see if the occupants of the library had shifted or changed.

Two hours into their studying, she felt a familiar presence approach and she stiffened, her blue green-eyes peering down the aisle.
 
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Archer strolled up, a book in hand as he peered down at the pair of women. He set the book before the pair of them, offering the source of what he'd learned. He still mentally grumbled he'd failed to learn a name, or much more than to expect this slippery Servant to be capable of a great deal beyond what his appearance suggests.

"As promised, what I've learned. As a bonus, the source...though I'd wondering if some of it is currently floating around on Leibhar's body." A wry grin at that. "In life, he was a half-blood, human mother, but his father was a wraith. Trained with a variety of weapons, and knows magic. No name...and little else besides."

He sighed, shrugging. "What I already knew is he seems to be able to travel unseen another way besides Spiritual Form. I suspect his heritage lets him walk through shadows. He's also visibly armed, last I saw him, with a sword."

With another shrug, he turned away, offering a wave with one hand as he began to head for the doors. "Perhaps you'll enjoy perusing his identitiy with whatever else you seek, though I have tasks still before me today."
 
Valerie blinked up from her books, watching Archer approach with a reserved expression. She marked her place and let her heavy volume fall closed, still puzzling over how she felt about the servant that was meant to be hers. She sat up as he came to hover over them, the book placed on the table. As he spoke she flipped through the pages and found them all ... utterly blank. She laughed a little and showed him the white paper as he made a joke about words being eaten. "I think he got to a few more." But she listened closely and nodded at the rest of what he had to say. Just as fast, he was waving goodbye and turning away. She watched him, expression pinched. A moment before it would be too late, she called out. "Archer, is it?" When he'd turn, she'd speak again, brows furrowed. "...Take care."

She opened back up her book, doing her best to look and remain indifferent. She'd have to kill Archer. She didn't care how tough everyone else acted. Every member of this war was person. And murdering them, to some degree, would be hard. But she could accept that. Because as long as it remained hard, she'd know that she was better than the monster that killed her family. Course, any member of the war could die now. But he deserved to die more. Fuck the grail. That was her father's mission. Seeing his death through? That was now hers.
 
Jannik looked to the Librarian, sighing. He didn't much like other people, and the social interaction already had tired him out. Still, he wasn't exactly going to get out of the Library without at least asking to have the door unlocked first. As he walked over to the semi-amorphous being, he felt his skin crawl at the sight of the inked letters swarming like insects.

"Mighty Leibhar, I appreciate you allowing us safe conduct within these halls, and the knowledge we have gained here. If you wouldn't mind unlocking the doors, I desire to return to the world outside with my Servant. After all, there remains a war to fight, and there are plans which must be put into motion before time runs short. After all, I take offense to Archer walking without his Master." His words, though given in a near-monotone, were honest.

He turned to face Rider. "When we leave this place, I'm going to ask that you be prepared for a fight. Archer is walking alone, uncontested. His lack of his Master nearby presents a weakness, and though his Master may not be necessary for him to do as he pleases, we would be remiss to pass up the golden opportunity. I want you to fight him once he comes out, and I will support you as best I can."
 
Leibhar twisted its unnatural head until it should have twisted off as it came to face Jannik. The creature studied the man up and down. "You have something on your nose."

But with that, the doors resounded with an ominous 'click' that echoed through the hallways.

"You and your servant may leave."
 
The moment the ancient doors unlocked and the librarian stated that they were allowed to leave, Rider. Was. Out of there. He did not pause to thank anyone, and while he did plan on obeying his leige’s wishes, they could do that when not trapped with such a being in a place that was ultimately useless to their goals now.

Grabbing his Master in a firm but not tight grip, he hauls the far smaller boy on top of Revenant, almost breaks open the doors in the force he uses and sends the large wolf through, pausingonly at the exit to turn his helmeted head towards Leabhar.

The being knew. It had to. It was the librarian and seeming owner of all the books within the interdimensional building, of which his tale was included. He wasn’t sure how he felt about leaving the librarian alone with other groups, but he was not stupid enough to stick around. He only nodded at it once, before stepping through the door after his companions and back into the realm of mortals.

Once through, the titanic man turns towards his master. “If we plan upon defeating Archer here,” he begins, bowing slightly to show the customary respect, “I trust you have a plan?”
 
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