Unmatched

From a mile away Echo Creek had little signs of nightlife. Jackie could barely distinct streetlights from households from all-night open shops. She leaned on the fence that separated her from a sharp slope. She had no doubt Masters were hunting one another, while the townsfolk suspected nothing of it. Please people, try to minimize collateral damage and casualties, she thought.

From dust of light Saber materialized, wearing serious expression and his shining golden armor. The warmth and light he radiated felt calming in comparison to the wind's chilling teeth. It also makes him visible from miles.

"Our allies have arrived," he stated.

Both walked under the somewhat alive road lamp. Seconds later a weak beam of light found its way to them. Its holder was a girl with long chestnut hair and deep green eyes. Like Jackie she also had a dark jacket, jeans and a flashlight. The girl turned off the flashlight, exposing the red marks on her hand.

Jackie nodded at her in serious welcome. The girl did the same in silence, while a new stream of light appeared next to her. Another figure materialized, its curves covered by black robes with long cowl. The newcomer moved forward without footsteps. Under the cowl he revealed a pink-haired girl with deadly crimson eyes. The lad must have been around your age when her life was taken away, Saber judged in Jackie's head. For being given the Assassin Class, she must have earned it, she replied.

"Since we're all here," Jackie started, "let's go over the plan again. Quickly. I'm sure Caster knows we're already here."

XXX

Using whatever energy he had recovered, Marco tried to stand still and control his shivering tone.

"We don't have to do this", he said to the other Master.

"I agree. We don't," the man crossed arms. "First, introductions. I am Kirion Antheus. You, boy?", he said with radiating pride.

"Marco Diaz," Marco answered after short hesitation.

"So, Marco Diaz," Kirion started waking circles, "I don't care how you got into The Holy Grail War. Clearly you're not a mage, you don't belong here. I have one offer for you. Give up your Master ownership, forget about all this, and live on."

"If I leave The War, you're not going after me?" Marco raised eyebrow in suspicion.

"Correct."

"And what about the other Masters?"

"What about? It is not your concern," Kirion answered with some heat.

"But you will still fight in the city. Where other will get caught in it," Marco raised his tone.

Kirion rolled his eyes. "Well, that's just the nature of a war, isn't it. Acceptable losses for the price of getting your grand wish, isn't it."

Marco remained silent. Expecting an answer Kirion had stopped on one place, staring at him. An explosive crushing sound shifted both their focus at the forest. Between the dark silhouettes Marco distinguished trees randomly falling one after another.

"Time's up, Marco", Kirion said, right hand grabbing something from his coat. With a toss he released what Marco could only describe as folded paper. Only it didn't stayed folded, for it took the shape of sharp cone. For a moment it froze mid-air, then the cone shot itself straight for Marco.

Unbound by sudden rush of adrenaline, Marco throw himself on the grass, avoiding a trail of blue light. He pushed himself back and noticed his left leg shivered. It was covered by ripped cloth and flowing trail of blood. Another cone missed his head and grazed the left cheek. With heart rapidly pumping adrenaline Marco dashed for the crumbling forest.

He didn't made it far.

One streak of blue light ended piercing the back his lower right leg. With scraping pain of foreign body cutting muscles Marco tumbled on his stomach. His agonizing cry echoed between the ground and the stars.

With eyes closed the pain was pushed back just enough to give him control of his limbs. His attempt to push himself got interrupted by another cone cutting in his shoulder, slamming Marco back on the grass. The only working arm failed to reach the cone. Instead Marco let another yell, pain and exhaustion sapping it into a weeping.

Calm steps between the grass reached him. Marco could not help but twist his head at Kirion, a step away from him. The other Master pulled in his left hand another piece of paper. With blue glow the paper wrapped around his fist in the shape long knife, or machete. Not letting a word or emotion, Kirion kneeled and raised his arm.

A bolt of pink light split the night, the air and Kirion. The man fell back, screaming and holding where his left arm used to be. Marco had never seen so much blood, so much agony and anger.

In a moment Archer appeared next him and got her sword parried by Lancer's own. In an uncanny synchron both Servants grabbed their own Masters and put distance between their enemies. Archer laid carefully Marco on the grass. She looked much worse than Macro had seen; her armor was blooded, had cracked and ripped pieces, she favored one leg, her clean face had multiple cuts. In a hurry she pulled each of the three cones one by one, replacing them with improvised bandages from Marco's ripped jacket.

While Marco was getting patched up, he focused on the other Master-Servant pair. Lancer was pressing on Kirion's limb, while the Master pulled one of his magical papers. With some blue light to shape it, the paper wrapped itself around little below Kirion's shoulder. He bled, but the paper did not pick any stains.

"You're going to be fine, idiot," Archer said after tying up the last bandage.

"My house. My family-" Marco said through the pulses of increasing pain.

"They, are fine. We didn't stick around after you ran away."

Their attention was drawn to the other Master's burning yells. Yells directed at his Servant.

"Kill them! Kill them now!"