FicWad

Endless Dream

By Pata Hikari

Chapter 3: Battles Day and Night

Night had fallen upon Shinto.

The streets were empty, a heavy silence filled the air, and Rin stood
atop a building, watching over it all.

"Rin, why are we out tonight?" Archer asked.

"We're looking for that Caster." She answered.

"But, Caster isn't the type of class to be out and about." Archer said.

"And Archer isn't the type to use swords." Rin spat back, "Yet that
night, Caster was there, out in the open. Didn't you tell me she held
back Lancer with a sword? I think she's the type to go our and act
proactively."

"..." Archer looked down at the streets.

"Besides, we know about all of the Servants now." Rin continued, "Two
aren't even summoned, so we don't have to worry about them. Saber's
Master is weak, so she's weak, and Lancer's master isn't interested in
fighting now. That leaves Caster, the unknown factor."

"...would not taking care of Saber's Master be the best choice? He's the
weakest of the Masters." Archer asked.

"..." Rin sighed, "I... I don't really know."

"Look, it'll be easy. There's no way for him to stand up to you, let
alone me." Archer looked down at her, "Tell me, Rin, is there any way
you can get Emiya Shirou to stay after school?"

"..." Rin sighed, "He, he often helps fix things. I... I could break
some things, and he'd probably help after school."

Archer grinned, "See? Now, once he's staying after school, I'll attack
Saber. While I keep her busy, you take out the Master."

"...I'll think about it." Rin turned away from the roads, "I don't see
any sign of Caster from above, we should head back down and check the
streets in detail.""

----

Sakura poured Rider a cup of tea.

"..." Rider looked at the girl, "Um... Sakura, was it?"

"Yes." Sakura smiled, "I'm glad to meet you Rider."

"Yes." She glanced at the woman who had summoned her. Caster.

A strange twist of fate, being called by another Servant.

"So, Rider, can you tell us your name?" Caster asked of her.

"...yes." Rider sighed, this was only going to end in pain. "My name is
Medusa."

"..." Caster stared.

"Medusa? You mean the monster with snakes for hair and can turn people
into stone with a look?" Sakura frowned, "You don't look like a monster,
Rider."

"Monsters rarely do." Rider looked down at her tea, "I've killed a lot
of people... so many. And yes, I can turn people into stone with a look.
It's why my eyes are covered."

"I see." Sakura frowned, "Why did you kill them?"

"..." Rider didn't say anything.

"Your history dosn't matter, Rider. Can you help us win this war?"
Caster said.

"..."

"Rider, can you tell me about your life?" Sakura asked, putting an arm
around her shoulder.

"...very well." Rider took a breath, and told her story.

----

Rin and Archer marched through the streets.

It was completely quiet.

Rin looked around, nobody was here, the streets were completely empty.
The Holy Grail War was taking its toll, and people were instictively
staying back.

Archer stopped walking.

"Archer?"

"A Servant is near."

...giggles

Simple, childish giggles filled the air.

"Oh Tohsaka-san, your Servant is rather dull, isn't he?"

"...!" Tohsaka looked behind her.

Standing around ten feet away, stood a young girl. Illyasviel von
Einzbern. And behind her, was the hulking monster. The unstoppable
force, the strongest Hero summoned into the strongest class, Berserker.

"It's dangerous for young ladies like ourselves to be out late at
night." Illya giggled.

"Stay back Rin." Archer stepped in front of his Master.

"Awww..." A look of disappointment crossed Illya's face, "Onii-chan
isn't with you today." She then shrugged, "Oh well, I guess I'll just
kill you now." There was no malice in her voice. Only childish innocence.

Rin stepped back, "Archer..."

"Berseker, kill them."

-----

A short distance away, another man was watching the city.

Every night he did this, watched as these worthless people lived out
their worthless lives.

"...the lowliest peasant from my Kingdom." Gilgamesh clenched his fist,
"Had more greatness in him then all these worthless beings." The peasant
had worked hard, farmed, tilled the earth and raised the livestock. The
same could not be said of these... people.

They toiled pointlessly, aimlessly. Not even striving for excellence,
they merely were satified with... mediocrity.

"What a worthless world, no wonder heroes don't appear anymore."
Gilgamesh sighed.

A sound came to his ears.

The sound of battle.

"Oh? Wonder what's going on?"

----

"#*^#!!!!"

Berserker roared, swinging his sword down.

Archer twisted his body, barely avoiding a fatal blow. Archer was not
Saber, he did not have the strength to block these blows. As such, he
could only use his speed to avoid death.

"%#^!!" Another fatal blow dodged.

From Berserker, all blows are fatal, so Archer could only dodge.

He swung his swords up, slashing at Berserker's arms.

Nothing, they didn't even scratch him.

Illya giggled, "Oh Tohsaka-san. It looks like your Servant can't hurt mine."

"..." Rin stepped back, "Archer..."

"Fine, if these swords won't do the job..." He threw them away, "Then
I'll use a different one!"

"Humph, fine. Berseker, let him bring out any sword he wants!" Illya
sneered.

"Trace, On." Archer closed his eyes. He needed a powerful sword, one
that could let him stand up to Berserker in close combat. "Ah..." Light
burst out of his hands, as his circuits flared to life. The one magic he
was skilled at formed. And a sword formed in his hands.

It was massive, longer then archer is tall, and half a meter wide. Yet
Archer still held it. He grasped it with both hands, swinging it above
his head. "Gígantmæcg!"

Gígantmæcg. The sword used by Beowulf to kill Grendel's mother. A blade
forged by Giants. It possessed the power to smash through any form of
defense against weapons. With a shout, Archer charged at full speed with it.

"**%!!!!!!" Berserker swung down his weapon, Archer swung Gígantmæcg
up, and blocked it.

"!!!" Illya stared.

"...Archer..."

"Rerreahhh!" Archer pushed away Berserker's sword, then slashed down
at his chest.

But Berserker was fast, he jumped back, avoiding his chest being sliced
open. However, the blade still cut deeply into him. Blood splattered on
the ground.

"Impossible... you can't hurt Berserker!" Illya was angry now, "You...
you just can't! Crush him Berserker! Crush him!"

"&^%!!!" Berserker charged again with renewed fury. However, Archer
was ready, he rushed towards him again, ducking under Berserker's range.
The massive Servant swung down, trying to catch him. But Archer swung
up, not to block. No, this was an attack.

"..." Illya saw what was going to happen, and could only stare.

"......!!!!" Berserker froze, for a second, as Archer cut off his right
hand. The hand, still clutching the sword, flew a few feet away.

"Grrraahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!" Archer pulled Gígantmæcg back and swung
again, cutting through Berserker's entire left arm.

"Archer... Archer!" Rin cheered.

"Now... die!" Archer thrust Gígantmæcg. At this range, there was no
dodging. Archer smashed through Berserker's chest, Gígantmæcg piercing
his heart and running out of his back.

"You... you did it Archer!" Rin couldn't believe it, Berserker, the near
unstoppable Hercules, had been defeated.

"..." Illya started laughing, "Oh, Tohsaka-san, it seems I
underestimated you." She laughed some more. "To kill Berserker is
impressive.... but tell me, Archer, can you kill him eleven more times?"

"..." Archer said nothing.

"Berserker, get up."

Berserker obeyed, slowly standing up. The wound on his chest vanishing,
Gígantmæcg fading. His lost limbs regrew themselves, and he picked up
the stone sword again.

"#&!!!!"

"My my, twelve lives? Quite a impressive trick."

"Huh?" Illya and Rin both looked up. Standing on top of small statue
stood a man. Blond hair, red eyes. He wore a suit, and was grinning.

"Who're you?" Illya asked.

"Oh? Me?" The man chuckled, "Just an observer of this Grail War." He
glanced down at the two girls. "Huh, it's funny. Both of you look
familar... ah, you the white girl, you're an Einzbern, aren't you?"

"...yes." Illya glared at the man.

"And you? What's your name, young lady?"

"...Tohsaka Rin."

"Tohsaka?" The man laughed, "Oh, yes. Amusing. Well, I think I'll watch
this fight. Just ignore me and continue on."

"..." Illya shrugged, "Whatever. Oh yes." She glanced at Archer, "I
forgot, if Berserker is killed, he becomes immune to what killed him.
Good luck!"

/"^)!" */Berserker ran towards Archer again.

"..." Archer jumped back, dodging past each swing. "Damn it damn it."
His mind was busy calculating. He needed to find a way to win this.

"You can do it Archer!" Rin shouted, "You killed him once, so kill him
again!"

"Easy for you to say!" Archer jumped up, over Berserker. "But this guy's
insane!"

/"^%#!" /Berserker spun around on one foot, swinging at Archer.

He threw out his hand. And a sheild formed in front of him, slowing down
Berserker's attack long enough to fall down to the ground, and he ran.

"After him Berserker!"

Berserker followed, charging after Archer.

Archer was running towards the side of a building.

"What an idiot..." Illya muttered.

Archer reached the building, and without stopping, began to run up the
wall. After running up three stories in a second, Archer jumpped off the
side, well above Berserker, a bow in his hands.

"Trace, on!" A sword formed, notched in the bow like an arrow. He
fired, and the shot rang towards Berserker.

/"&$!" */Berserker roared as the sword lodged in his shoulder.

"Caladbolg... shatter!"

And the sword exploded, inside Berserker. In an instant the entire upper
half of his body was gone, the shockwave sending chunks of meat everywhere.

"...." Illya stomped her foot against the ground, "No fair no Fair! You
shouldn't be able to kill Berserker twice!"

"Hah!" Rin laughed, "He'll do it ten more times Illya!"

"Oh I don't know." The blond man commented, "This fight can still go
anywhere."

----

Gilgamesh was surprised, to say the least. He recognized Archer's power
for what it was. The power to copy. A weak power. To have such a gift
was almost shameful.

Yet he was fighting this monstrous creature, this fighter that many
would define as "unbeatable" and he was coming out ahead.

Of course, he knew it was an issue of attrition. While Archer had killed
Berserker twice, both had drained him of energy. He was trying hard not
to show it, but Gilgamesh could see it. He couldn't last much longer.
Meanwhile, Berserker had twelve lives, and each time he came back fully
healed and fresh.

Well then, let's see what happens now.

----

Archer paused to catch his breath as Berserker regenerated. He realized
he had made an error. Rather then go all out against him, he should have
stalled. Waiting for Illya to get bored and leave.

But now it was too late, he had made her angry. She would now be
absolutely determined to fight to the very end.

And why was Gilgamesh here anyways? Archer didn't like it, but it seemed
the twisted Servant just wanted to watch. Probably finds this amusing.
Archer reached into himself, as he considered his options.

He had several Noble Phantasms that would work, the problem was that
tracing twelve of them in a row, and using them to their full potential,
was difficult.

Did he have no choice but to go all out? To do that would be to risk
revealing himself.

"...No. I can still do this." He muttered. He could beat Berserker.
/"Trace, on." /A new sword formed in his hand, Tizona. Wielded by the
hero El Cid, the sword gleamed with bright light. This sword grew
stronger the greater the will of the wielder. And right now Archer felt
that such a weapon, when his determination was at its highest, would do
him best.

Berserker roared, he was ready to fight again, Archer responding by
slashing at his arm, jumping back when he countered.

"Hah... hah." Archer grinned, "Is this all you've got?" Berserker didn't
reply, he couldn't. "Honestly. Berserker's such a dumb class, you have
all this power but it can't be controlled. The Enzberns sure are stupid
picking it!"

"...heh." Illya just smiled, "You're getting tired, Archer. That bluff
won't work."

"..." Rin looked over at Archer. "Come on, you can do it..." She stared
at this beast as it swung down at him. He deflected the strike with his
sword and struck again, cutting into Berserker's flesh again.

"Die you stupid thing!" Archer swung at Berserker, this time, he moved
to defend, swinging at Tizona.

The two swords collided.

And Tizona shattered.

Archer was blown back, slamming into a wall.

Illya giggled, "Finish him Berserker."

"...no." Rin whispered. This can't happen, she can't lose.

"...nngggg...." Archer stood up, "Rin.. run..."

"..." Rin stared at Archer, she looked at Berserker.

...and ran.

Towards Archer.

"Rin...!!"

"I'm not going to leave you Archer. We're going to win this war." She
reached into her pocked, pulling out four gems./ This should do./

"Oh well, kill them both now." Illya shrugged.

"Archer, we're about to do something monumentally stupid."

"Probably."

"Well then, we're in agreement, let's get him!"

Master and Servant both charged.

"I am the bone of my sword..." Swords began appearing around Archer, a
dozen of them.

"Kräfte der vier Elemente." Rin chanted, running ahead of Archer.

"&%!" Berserker swung at Rin, but a sword launched out, slamming
into his arm and throwing off his aim.

/"Zerstören Sie meinen Feind." /Rin reached the feet of Berserker, then,
reinforcing her legs, she jumped up.

"Fire!" Archer screamed, launching every sword.

"Zertrümmern er mit jeder Unze Energie, die wir haben!"

Rin unleashed the power in all four gems at once.

And Archer shattered each Noble Phantasm he had launched

Berserker was enveloped in rainbow of light, Archer ran up and pulled
Rin back at the last second before it consumed her too.

Rin's spell had weakened him, and then Archer's Broken Phantasms
finished the job.

Berserker's body was gone, nothing but small peices remained.

"Rin... what do we do now?"

"Well..." Rin paused. "We run like hell."

"Sounds good to me."

"You... you..." Lines appeared all over Illya's body, "You two... you
cheat!" She screamed, "I'll kill you personally!"

"Oh, that's not nice young lady." The blond man spoke again.

Dozens of swords were now floating behind him.

"Really, I suggest you take up Rin's idea on running." He tilted his
head to the side, "I'd like to see more of her in this Grail War. And
if... you try and stop her from participating. Things will get,
unpleasant for you."

"..." Illya stared at him, "I thought you were just an observer."

"Oh, yeah. That. Well, I figure this bit of meddling won't hurt. All I'm
doing is letting both of you live to fight another day."

"..." Rin frowned, "Why are you doing this?" She suddenly asked.

"Oh? As I said, I happen to have an interest in seeing more of you in
this. You're much more interesting then your father, Tohsaka Rin" He
grinned.

"...!!"

"Now go." Swords flew forword, surrounding Illya in a cage. "Both of you
can continue this later, if you want."

"Let me out now!" Illya screamed.

"Who are you?" Rin asked.

"My name is Gilgamesh, remember it." He chuckled "See ya." He waved,
slowly walking away.

Berserker was slowly regenerating, his feat had reformed.

"Come on Rin, let's just go." Archer picked up Rin and began to run,
getting as far away from the angry Illya as possible.

----

Sakura and Caster listend to it all, Rider's story.

The story of three girls, embodying the dreams for perfect gods.

How jealous, imperfect gods, had corrupted them.

And finally, her death.

She said it flatly, no emotion involved.

"..."

"..."

Sakura stood up, "You... you poor girl."

"...huh?"

"You, you were forced into that terrible role, and even today you're
remembered as a monster!" She grabbed Rider's hands, "I... I'll help you
win this war, we'll work together!"

"...Sakura..."

"Yeah." Caster smiled, "I didn't know your story, but now that I do.
It's... it's not fair."

"Caster?" Rider looked at them both. "You, you don't hate me?"

"Why would we? We're in this together, right?" Sakura smiled, "We need
to work together, to understand each other."

"...I see." Rider said. All this time... I've been wallowing in my
self-pity. She's strong, stronger then I. "Sakura. I swear, I'll help
you win this War."

"...thank you, Rider."

----

Morning came to the Emiya household.

Saber sat down on the porch, enjoying the cool morning air.

It brought her back memories of the simple life she had once had. Living
in a simple home, sparring with her brother Kay, being bothered by
Merlin, fond memories.

"..." Saber sighed. Her time in this era, when not fighting, had been so
much like those old days. Lancer even reminded her of her of Kay.

She had given them all up, for the Kingdom.

Did she regret it? No. She had known the price, and had paid it.

Still... "No." She shook her head. She knew that any moment the pleasent
peace would stop, and the battles would begin.

She had to win the Grail, for her people.

She had to make up for her failure.

----

"Come on Caster, Rider, we're going now." Sakura said.

"..." Caster nodded slowly, "Yeah..." How could I have forgotten.

The morning after summoning Rider, Sakura had then explained to them
that she went to "My Sempai from school, he's really nice and I... I
kind of like him." every morning.

She wanted to show them the house, however, they could only follow her
in spirit form.

Rider, of course, followed without question. She seemed to have become
feircely devoted to Sakura.

Caster, on the other hand.

"Do we really have to?"

"Yes Caster, I want you to at least see Sempai's home. MAybe after
getting some clothing for you two I can introduce you formally."
Sakura's tone was final.

Caster sighed, "Fine." She vanished, becoming a spirit following Sakura.

What to do what to do. She did not want to confront Saber, but how to
avoid it? Plus she doubted Sakura wanted to fight Shirou...

"We are so screwed." Caster muttered.

----

The alarm clock rang.

And rang.

And rang.

For twenty minutes it rang.

Then Archer walked in, sleepily, and threw a sword at the clock. "Damn
it let us sleep."

"...nnnggg?" Rin slowly woke up, "Archer...?" She looked tot he side.
Instantly she became alert. "Archer, why is there a sword stuck in my
alarm clock?"

"I wanted to sleep." Archer groaned, "Last night was hell."

"You're fixing that." Rin got out of bed, "I need to get ready for
school..."

/"...Trace, on." /Archer made a copy of the alarm clock. "There we go."

-----

Knock, knock, knock.

"Sempai! Can I come in?"

"Of course!" Shirou sighed, "You don't have to knock."

"...well, I just feel it's polite." Sakura walked in. "Did you sleep
well Sempai?"

"Yeah, great." Shirou smiled.

"Good to hear, now it's my turn to make breakfast."

-----

Saber suddenly shot up. "Wha...?"

Servants.

In the house.

"How, how did they get in here!?" The Boundry feild should have warned
them. In an instant, her armor and sword appeared. "Shirou... he
probably dosn't know!"

She was in the dojo, Shirou was likely in the kitchen. It would take her
a few seconds to get there, seconds that Shirou might die in.

Please Shirou, stay alive!

-----

Shirou sighed happily as he helped Sakura make breakfast. Today, for a
change of pace, they were making it western style. Pancakes, to be exact.

He had to admit, just making food with her was nice.

"Sempai, do we have any strawberries?"

"Yeah, in the back of the fridge." Sakura opened the fridge...

And Saber burst into the room, fully armed.

"Shirou!"

"...what?!" Shirou shouted, "Sa-saber, what are you-"

"Where is it!" Saber looked around the room, "Damn! Shirou, two Servants
are hiding!"

"!!!" Sakura stood up, "S-sempai..."

"Wh-wha?!"

Saber's gaze turned to Sakura. "..." She raised her sword, pointing it
at her. "Who... are you..."

"...."

A rush of wind.

A woman in black, with long hair appeared in front of Saber.

"Rider!" Sakura shouted, "Do-don-"

Without a word, Rider charged towards Saber.