Chapter 1: 1. We be fighting right away
The Holy Grail War that was meant to be the seventh had descended into chaos. The rules had changed without warning and a new, sinister force had inserted itself with designs to consume the Grail's power for itself.
It was a cold, rainy night in Fuyuki City when the disturbances to the Holy Grail's ritual first made themselves known. At the abandoned Ryuudou Temple, the five Masters that had been selected to compete in what they believed to be the seventh war met to discuss recent strange events.
Eric Joshua, Master of Rider Leonardo da Vinci, spoke first. "My friend, something is amiss. My servant has detected dark pulses of prana emerging from the city, warping the landscape in ways unnatural even for this war. Whatever force seeks to claim the Grail, it does not play by the rules we are accustomed to."
The others murmured in agreement. Kariya Matou, appearing haggard and ill as always, master of Berserker Nightingale said "My servant can sense it too...an evil the likes of which she's never seen. It reeks of malice and hunger."
Then a new voice suddenly echoed through the temple, cold and ominous, giving shivers to those who listened. "You perceive correctly, weaklings. The rules of this war have changed...now."
From the shadows emerged a slender, androgynous figure draped in tattered black robes. Face obscured, long hair flowing like ink, it surveyed the Masters with a haunting gleam in its eyes.
"I am 'Shaubb'. I have inserted myself into this war to claim the Grail's power for my own. Any who stand in my way will be devoured."
The Masters stared in shock and horror. Kirei Kotomine, overseer of the war, stepped forward warily. "Shaubb, you misunderstand the nature of this ritual. Interfering in such a way threatens to destroy the balance."
Shaubb smirked, then threw back its head and laughed, a bone-chilling sound boomed through in the walls of the temple. "Hahahahahaha…! The balance no longer concerns me. I care only for glutting my awful hunger, and… to ensure this war bends to my designs..."
He waved his hand, his long finger nails acted as the claw of beasts. The temple shuddered, the air rippling with dark energy. When the distortion cleared, two additional figures had appeared—the eighth Servant summoned to his side.
The Servant stood vigilant beside him, garbed in ornate gray and crimson armor, a ragged blood-orange cape billowing from strong shoulders. A regal, handsome face was set in a cool expression, scarlet eyes regarding the assembly calmly.
Shaubb made his terrible smile. "Ahh…let the altered War begin! May the strongest devour the rest...and unlock the true power of the Grail for me."
And with that ominous pronouncement, he and the Servant vanished, leaving the Masters and new arrivals to process this sinister twist of fate.
The rain fell in sheets as Rider Leonardo surveyed the temple grounds from her aerial chariot. Though outwardly cheerful as always, unease gnawed at her. This Beast's meddling threatened chaos, and her Priority was to see the war concluded with minimal collateral damage.
Her musings were interrupted by the chariot rocking as another joined her. Glancing back, she smiled at the newcomer. "Ah, Saber! To what do I owe the pleasure?"
The masked Servant from before smiled politely in return. "My Master and I wished a word. My Master is the one called Jubstacheit von Einzbern."
Leo nodded sagely. "I see. And what does your Master hope to discuss on this stormy night, Saber?"
Saber grew solemn. "He suspects, as I do, that Shaubb's presence has further altered this war in insidious ways. There may also be someone working its dirty arts behind the so-called 'Shaubb'…we must coordinate to counter its schemes, and ensure the Grail is not twisted to evil ends."
His expression was grave but sincere. Leo considered, then nodded. "Well spoken. Any alliance against that man can only aid my Priority. You have Rider's support, Saber."
She extended a hand, and the masked servant clasped it firmly. A new partnership was forged in the darkness, between heroes of ages past united against the encroaching shadow…
A temporary partnership. At the end, one of them must vanish.
The first death came within a week. Scouts found Jack the Ripper's master's remains strewn across an abandoned mansion, limbs severed and entrails torn out. The killer was clear—four deep claw marks slashed through the poor man's chest, oozing with malice.
Shaubb was making its threat known in brutal fashion. The remaining Masters girded for the battles to come, strengthening bonds with their Servants.
One such duo was a sour match from the start. Within the decaying Matou manor, Berserker Nightingale tended patients who no longer existed, muttering prayers under her breath. Her Master Kariya watched in dismay, coming to accept his Servant was far beyond reason.
It was then a shadow slipped inside. Kariya tensed, summoning his prana, but too late—twin blades sliced his neck open before he could react. A killer emerged from the darkness, drenched in fresh blood.
Nightingale was stunned for a moment, then she roared, launching at the intruder with nails extended like talons. But the killer dodged fluidly, vanishing back into night. Berserker howled her frustration to the rafters, uncaring for her dead Master's corpse. Another piece had fallen in Shaubb's game.
In the aftermath, the remaining players gathered at the Ryuudou Temple once more. Leo grimly recounted Jack's master and Kariya's ends, revealing clues pointed to a single killer.
A new servant that inserted himself without permission—the man in crimson armor standing beside Shaubb. He was given form and name by the Shaubb's corrupted energy. Jubstacheit's eyes narrowed. "This one call itself Avenger. A Servant borne of mankind's evils, his twisted urged him to serve that asshole's ambitions."
Eric frowned. "Then it must be eliminated, if we are to have any hope in this grim war. Who will take up the hunt?"
A gravelly chuckle sounded from the temple entrance. All turned to find the hulking form of Berserker blocking the way, wild eyes glowing with frenzied bloodlust. "This one will have her prey," Nightingale rasped. Without another word she turned and bounded into the nightstorm, baying for Avenger's soul.
"Why is Berserker still here? Shouldn't she be sent back to Chaldea already?" asked Jubstacheit.
"Oh, we and the overseer of the war Kirei decided that we need to gather as much power as we can, so he used something called… what is it…? Yes, the 'Ether Battery'. The church stored enough ether for Berserker to keep on fighting."
The clash of titans shook Fuyuki's ruined streets. Berserker and Avenger blurred around each other, a whirlwind of claws and steel cutting apart crumbling buildings. Nightingale's frame shuddered under her Mad Enhancement, power and wrath fueling her strikes.
But Avenger was a monster all its own, matching Berserker blow for blow, then slipping past her guard to rake its cursed daggers across tender flesh. Nightingale roared and renewed her assault—only for Avenger to fade into darkness once more.
"You cannot best me, rabid cur! I am corruption given form," its voice echoed in Nightingale's mind. "Submit, and I may yet spare you to serve our true Master."
Madness overtook Berserker then. With frenzied howls she rampaged randomly through the city, slashing at shadows, tearing her own flesh in her maddened fury. None could calm her or end her rampage—not until an arrow sprang out, piercing Nightingale's skull. She collapsed with a final grunt, dissipating into ether.
Atop a distant Tower, Archer Ptolemaeus lowered his bow, violet eyes somber. Another piece had fallen to insanity and shadow. He did not understand his master's order, and he refused to do so…but with the command spell printed on his master's hand, he raised his bow and took the shot. "What are you doing, master? Why would you do so?" thought Ptolemaeus grimly, his eyes filled with confusion.
The war entered its darkest hour. The remaining players regrouped—Leo and Saber Prince Lanling with Eric and the Jubstacheit. With two Servants lost, one betrayed (for now, at least) and an unknown enemy lurking, they faced slim odds against Shaubb and its aims.
It was then Jubstacheit proposed a ruthless gambit—a confrontation, with all pieces on the board. His Servant Saber would serve as the lure, goading the two most powerful remaining foes into open battle while the others struck and reinforce from the shadows. A brutal tactic indeed, but their only hope.
The trap was sprung atop Fuyuki's bridge as thunder rolled. Saber Lanling emerged alone, waiting with pride unbroken even as rain curtained around him. Soon a wraith-like figure materialized—Avenger, stained blades gleaming hungry crimson, and the hellish form of corruption itself materializing amidst lightning and shadows.
Lanling regarded them calmly. "Come, then. None shall claim this land whilst I yet draw breath." His roar shattered the clouds, violet and golden light wreathing him as he launched at his foes with fury and grace entwined.
Avenger snarled and met his strike for strike, a demon to his wrath. But Avenger laughed his dire laugh, tendrils whipping to intercept any who dared approach. He knew this trap, and he waited silently for an exciting carnival of clashing swords and beaming magic.
Lanling and Avenger continued their fierce duel upon the bridge as rain and thunder raged around them. Their blades struck with incredible speed and force, but they appeared evenly matched. Meanwhile, Leonardo, hidden not far away, watched for an opportunity to assist her comrade, but Anvenger's eldritch powers kept them at bay.
It was then that Jubstacheit made his move. As an erfahrener Magus of formidable skill, he had secretly prepared forbidden arcana for this emergent situation. Chanting incantations, he summoned eldritch energies that coalesced into a massive construct - a colossal beast, taken the form of a wolf, three heads on top and two more as its tail, fashioned from the stuff of nightmares.
With an ear-splitting howl, the Aberration "Zulle" charged into battle. Its very presence radiated waves of maddening terror, seeking to overwhelm its foes' sanity and resolve. Avenger screamed in primal excitement at this unforeseen threat, lashing out with shadowy whips that peeled bark from trees for miles.
Zulle took the full force of the assault, staggering but not falling. It lunged for Avenger with slavering jaws of darkness, locking in a cataclysmic battle of strength and will against Avenger. Meanwhile, Leonardo saw her chance.
"Saber, now!" she shouted, pouring essence into her fellow Servant. Lanling responded instantly, parrying Avenger's blade and launching him skyward in a blur of light and motion. He then jumped up and crashed down upon Avenger like a meteor, bearing it to the rain-slick pavement with his gleaming sword pinning Avenger's limbs. Zulle vanished into dust right after it saw this.
"Yield, foul corruption, or taste my blade's bite!" Lanling declared, pressing the edge to Avenger's throat. He snarled defiantly in response, but could find no escape from his immovable grasp.
The climax had been reached, it seemed, but victory was not yet assured. Because just in this moment where the two couldn't move any further, arrows were shot, causing enormous explosions. Lanling drawed his sword back to defend himself, but eventually Avenger was freed. Dust provided cover for Avenger, and now the roles of prey and hunter turned.
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