Fate/Unholy War

[Reaver]

"Well to be fair you aren't riding a horse so I am a little dubious." Chuckling in response to supposed Rider's affirmation of being the Rider class. The servant could be lying, after all, even they knew better to willingly give away clues to their identity; but the man could also be overconfident and sure of his victory. Whatever the case, Golden Vulture didn't want to tip his hand before Rider did completely.

"I do have some tricks up my sleeve, same as you." Golden Vulture said before the fight started. "However, my dagger is right in my hand and my legends make no claim of ever being aided by anyone with a bow. I plan on winning through skill and experience as a fight should be." He also took the time to reexamine Rider's master, seeing it rather queer and annoying for the magus to be acting so aloof while two servants battled in front of him. It didn't worry him much since he was immune to all magecraft but he did like to be taken seriously. The master having Rider hold back was even more insulting since it sullied the pride of both servants. Typical magus. Willing to let another do all of the work with all of the risks. He'd make sure let him know all of that once he defeated his servant.

Then Rider struck! Golden Vulture was torn between amusement and fury as he easily dodged the sword swing, side-stepping it with trained grace. If Rider was trying to lull him into lowering his guard then it was a competent strategy because he could feel it slowly working. However, if that was the best Rider could do then this fight would be annoying easy, or at least straight-forward enough until his mimicry and possibly his master arrived.

"I accept your apology, Rider. Many underestimate assassins' capabilities when it comes to open battle, many of my victims certainly did. However, I was always a fan of simplistic battle and learned what I could. Instead, I blame your master for placing restrictions on you." Grinning widely as he danced to the sides while slowly closing the distance on Rider. "One should always fight at their best. My master understands that, which is why I'm alone. Perhaps she'd do right by you as well? She seems to respect the honor and pride of heroic spirits, even one as me, Assassin. Think it over while we fight." Giving Rider a respectable nod before crouching low into a sprinter's stance. The man seemed interesting enough with a spirit for battle. Golden Vulture knew Rider wouldn't stand a chance once all of his pieces fell into place or he started to take things seriously but that didn't mean he deserved to be disrespected in combat.

Golden Vulture took off, closing the distance with dizzying speed as he sought to create an opening through the shield. Before reaching Rider he leaped upwards, placing one boot on the shield for leverage before jumping and spinning behind him. He put plenty of force into the boot, wanting to keep his shield in the same position and the man grounded so the opening would still be there. As he spun past Rider, Golden Vulture attempted to sink his dagger right next to his shoulder blade and through the ribs before landing promptly behind him and between Rider and his master. "Forgive any rustiness, I'm used to fighting in enclosed spaces where walls that I can jump off of are bountiful."

[mrblah]

Reaver

The opening left by Golden Vulture's shield jump proved effective as his attack landed. Rider grit his teeth as he noticed the damage, but was quick to turn and take a swing at Golden Vulture, who was able to immediately duck down under the slash. "Very clever of you... if this is you rusty, then you must truly be a fearsome opponent!" The Servant applauded. "And I believe I'll have to decline whatever offer you were making. There are few things more foul than disloyalty, and while I do not confess to be a man of great integrity, I try to walk that path."

Rider's Master turned his head, glancing at Golden Vulture through his one eye, then looking at Rider. His gaze seemed to be reconsidering the situation... seemingly deciding on something, he turned back to his book. Rider noticeably froze for a second, a distracted look in his eyes... before they refocused and he grinned. "I believe my Master's worried about my chances. He's given me a considerable boost in strength. I'd assume you know what I speak of?" His question was rhetorical in nature, and he continued without waiting for a reply. "I believe you should pull out whatever you have from your bag of tricks, now. Things won't proceed as smoothly as they were."

Meanwhile, Pridolia and Mimicry had arrived on scene on top of a nearby rooftop. Looking down, things seemed to be going smoothly for Golden Vulture. She recognized the magus from before, but not the Servant Golden Vulture was fighting, but the Servant seemed a little... excited, his body language suggested. Like he was a 'supercharged' or something along those lines. Pridolia remembered something about that from the supplies Newman gave her. It was in the papers, something about boosting a Servant's power.

Battle Log
Golden Vulture attacks for 1,360! [Power = 760 + (6 from d6 x 100) = 1,360.]
Rider defends! [Endurance = (17 x 40) + (4 from d4 x 100) = 1,080.]
Rider's defense fails!
Rider takes 1,144 damage!
Rider attacks for 1,150! [Power = 750 + (4 from d4 x 100) = 1,150.]
Golden Vulture defends! [Agility = (15 x 40) + (4 from d4 x 100) = 1,000.]
Golden Vulture dodges! [Dodge chance; 30%. Roll is 13.]
Counter roll is 20. No counter!

??? uses Burnout! All parameters for Rider are raised by 2! ??? is immobile!

Golden Vulture: 7600/7600 HP. 4800/4800 MP.
Rider: 84% HP. 100% MP.

RandomRoninkitten

The icy cold spell speared through the air, cutting into the cold body of the last monster. It made no sound as its life was swiftly ended, the creature falling to the ground with a hole in its chest. The battlefield was quiet, with Sinclaire waiting for any other signs of danger or to hear any escaping magus... but there was nothing. She relaxed, and walked over to observe the bodies. Her icy spear was already melting in one of the unidentified creatures. But before she could begin to check their bodies to spot any clues pertaining their purpose or anything useful, the corpses began to vanish, dust floating up into the air until nothing was left... but two potions and a black origami crow.

Battle Log
Sinclaire attacks using Volturnus Anarchy Spear for 200! [Spellpower = 200. Magic = 10. 200 + (10 x 20). 400.]
??? B defends! [Magic = 5. 5 x 10 + 4 from d4 x 20 = 130. ??? B is frostbitten! 65.]
??? B takes 335 damage! ??? is defeated!

Sinclaire wins! Gains; Small Healing Potion x2, Origami Crow

[Lazy Kitsune]

Rose eyed the door up and down a few times, not entirely sure what to make of it at first, before approaching and entering the new room that the Genie had created. This brought out much more of a reaction. Taking several slow steps in and around the room, Rose practically gawked at every little detail around her, her jawing hanging low despite herself. While she had never been a fan of rich and fancy things, even she couldn't deny that this place was absolutely stunning. The practicality of it may be rather limited, but it was still wondrous enough and she hoped it wasn't noticeable when she blushed upon noticing the large bed that came with the room.

Slowly coming out of her daze, she walked around, soaking up the exotic architecture and the stunning, if slightly mind-bending sights out the window. She knew it wasn't real... it couldn't have been, but it looked real enough from where she was standing. She bent down and trailed a hand across the surface of the pool, a surprised, uncharacteristic giggle escaping her lips as she felt the cool water flow around her fingers. Standing up once more, she worked on recomposing herself, something she was finding she was needing to do with surprising frequency with this Genie around and turned to face her, only to find the Genie playing with the jewellery hanging from her breast.

"We do need to gather as much information as we can early on for this plan to work..." Rose managed, her mind eventually catching up with the situation at hand. "I would rather we stuck close together in this early stage, however I would simply slow you down. If we're hoping to go unnoticed and move quickly and quietly, you scouting on your own would be the safest bet. I'll remain and attempt to hone my magical talents. Besides, I'm sure you're eager to have some time away from me."

She started to head towards the back of the room, before pausing, surprised by the Genie's final question. "I..." she paused, wondering, like she had so many nights since discovering her fate, how to phrase this issue. "I don't want anything for myself... I'm sure you'll laugh or call me naive but... I'm hoping to change the world for the better. I don't know how powerful the grail is, but its surely powerful enough to do something about the poverty spreading rampant under the blind and uncaring eye of those on top ... not to mention the very mages who have apparently been making wishes annually without any of them helping the world at large. I don't expect to end all the worlds problems... but I want a wish that goes towards building a future where a little girl doesn't grow up all alone because her mum ODs and her dad gets dragged off to jail and no one is around to help pick up the pieces."

[Littlemankitten]

Sirius did her best to ignore the noise as she attempted to spy on her target. She nervously checked around the structure for somewhere to peer into, tripping over random branches and rocks a few more times than she would of liked, but after a while she finally found a window that gave her excellent view into the pub. She could still smell the stench from outside even though the window was closed. Suppressing a sneeze, Sirius watched as the woman chugged mug after mug. She had seen some alcoholics that could drink quite a bit back in her timeline, but none like this. She couldn't help but watch in disgusted fascination as she continued to drink. After a while however, she finally seemed to stop. Her voice seemed very out of place compared to her demeanor and love of alcohol. Sirius attempted to place where the accent could of come from, but having heard many accents from many different worlds and regions in space, it would be almost impossible for her to pinpoint one from a single planet.

Trying not to let the woman's disgusting habits get to her, which now includes not paying, she would attempt to follow her by ducking behind buildings and bushes, like she read in many history and fiction books.

[RandomRoninKitten]

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

RandomRoninkitten

The icy cold spell speared through the air, cutting into the cold body of the last monster. It made no sound as its life was swiftly ended, the creature falling to the ground with a hole in its chest. The battlefield was quiet, with Sinclaire waiting for any other signs of danger or to hear any escaping magus... but there was nothing. She relaxed, and walked over to observe the bodies. Her icy spear was already melting in one of the unidentified creatures. But before she could begin to check their bodies to spot any clues pertaining their purpose or anything useful, the corpses began to vanish, dust floating up into the air until nothing was left... but two potions and a black origami crow.

Battle Log
Sinclaire attacks using Volturnus Anarchy Spear for 200! [Spellpower = 200. Magic = 10. 200 + (10 x 20). 400.]
??? B defends! [Magic = 5. 5 x 10 + 4 from d4 x 20 = 130. ??? B is frostbitten! 65.]
??? B takes 335 damage! ??? is defeated!

Sinclaire wins! Gains; Small Healing Potion x2, Origami Crow

Sinclaire began licking her blood off her hand as she put the loot into her backpack, ignoring how confusing the Origami Crow was, yet also careful not to crumple it or get any blood on it. She then decided that it would probably be a good idea to go back to HQ before anymore enemies showed up to take advantage of a lone, wounded Magus.

Sinclaire starts heading back to HQ, carefully.

[Reaver]

It seemed even in the Saber class, the innate techniques of his assassin training survived. It gave Golden Vulture a sense of pride to know that it was inseparable from his being, or perhaps it was just the feeling of excitement as the blade slid into Rider's back. He pulled it out quickly, knowing a counter-attack would be quickly coming, leaping away then ducking just in time to dodge a swing. He grinned widely, finally enjoying himself and hitting his stride. "Many feared me, you might too once you learn my true identity. But I thank you for your praise." Giving him a small respectable bow. When Rider gave his answer to Golden Vulture's offer to change sides, he wasn't surprised that he had declined it. He seemed like the staunch knight type that made up the ranks of many heroic spirits and while honor was admirable, he considered it to be a weakness for sure.

"Well said. But to place your life on the honor of another is foolish. I can attest to that and it's only because of my ambivalence that I haven't taken advantage of you and it already. But I can see that might be about to change...." As a mental ping went off in his head. His mimicry had completed the last directions given to it, which meant that it was on a nearby rooftop awaiting for instructions, possibly with Torvald too. Then things got interesting.

"Burnout huh?" Refocusing on Rider as he sensed that the servant was far more capable now than before. "Your master is smart to do so, the longer the battle went the better my chances of winning would have gone. But don't think it'll convince me to reveal any of my trump cards. I'm still waiting for you to use whatever else you have besides the King's Beast Slayer." His voice thick with smugness as he mentioned the last part. Now was the time to unbalance him as much as possible, to make him hesitate, not to mention tank the next hit instead of focusing solely on dodging like an assassin.

"This is stupid!" Pridolia muttered under her breath as she watched Golden Vulture and the other servant fight. "How so?" Asked the mimicry, observing carefully. "You're playing around down there!" Exasperation leaking out of her voice. "There are so many strategies you could have used to either overwhelm the servant or beat the master to a pulp! Instead you're dancing down there like we have all the time in the world. For all we know other servants are watching...." Silently fuming for a few seconds as she thought about what the next move should be. Golden Vulture was moving at his own pace, something that was coming back to bite him as the servant was being empowered by the master. She couldn't afford to wait and see if Golden Vulture would change his tactics to face this shift in power, nor did she want to reply in like by using Burnout as well. The fight would only be prolonged and force her to depend on Golden Vulture further to protect her while she recovered mana. No, he would be on his own while she attended to other matters.

"Throw me." Staring the mimicry down. "Why?" Responding with a grin, already liking the idea. "Because I'm going to fuck up the master before Golden Vulture can be overwhelmed. Then you go help yourself handle the servant. Slow him down, wear him out; do whatever you can to make sure the empowerment goes to waste." After she was done explaining her plan, she began chanting, embers and ritual lines slowly appearing on her palms as she prepared her curses for combat. The mimicry chuckled before grabbing her by the hips and lifting her into the air above him with ease. "This is fun, I'm glad I get to do this." Gloating over the opportunity as he walked them over to the edge of the rooftop. "Just stick your landing, otherwise you'll embarrass all of us. Also good luck, this Hand of the Dunes believes in you." Giving her a small compliment before slinging her towards the sitting master.

"Exquisite Cinders!" She screamed as she flew through the air, crimson and glowing hands outstretched to deliver a curse on contact with the man. This move had seemed most optimal as not only would it allow her to very quickly close the distance and force the master to break her fall all while she landed the first decisive blow.

The mimicry meanwhile, shook his head in amusement before leaping off of the rooftop and landing next to Golden Vulture. "This seems fun, I'm having a lot of fun today!" Grinning widely as a dagger materialized in his hand. "I'll follow your lead yea?" Speaking to the true Golden Vulture as he eyed the servant.

"Servant is probable Rider, watch the sword, attack in tandem with me. I'll tank the first hit, creating an opening for you to exploit." Giving his clone a quick rundown. "I suppose using one of my abilities wouldn't kill me no? Just remember to focus on our fight, otherwise, I'll stick a couple of knives in your back." Delivering a promise to Rider before beckoning him forward.

[CondorBoH]

She stretched again, rolling onto her back on the couch with a cheeky grin on her big blue face. Of course, her moment of relaxation would have to be put aside as her Master began to mention their future moves.
"Ohoho, glad you like it. I had no intention of changing it if you hadn't. I made it so you will have to deal with it, since we're going to be spending a long time in here... if things don't go wrong, of course. Take your time to gather your energy, you're going to need it. I suppose I will scout, if I must. No need to reveal ourselves this early, so I shall be naught but the wind."
Djinn could turn into gusts and flow through the desert, this wouldn't be too different from her 'life'. She just had to make sure she matched the current and existing winds to not draw attention.

The Genie's eyes were closed as she listened to her Master, a slight frown on her face. There was a pause for a moment, before she rose into a seating position, jewellery jangling as she did. At first, she was enjoying her Master's dumbfound joy at seeing this wonderland and on the verge of boasting at her skill at creation once more. Yet, her Master's words gave her pause. It was... incomprehensible to her. To not had a selfish, greedy wish. No, this had to have a source of selfishness somewhere.
"Naive doesn't begin to cover it. Foolish is the right word. Because that wish wont work, even if the Grail follows your will. If you wish for the poor to no longer suffer, to gain wealth, then it will be take mere moments for those uncaring at the top to crush them again. Mages are who and what they are because of their selfish desires, they cannot comprehend selflessness. You wont end all the world's problems, because that is not truly possible. Maybe it is, maybe I underestimate another wish giver, but... What you really want to wish for is to change human nature, which is a very good way to get a Counter Guardian on your cute little butt."

Caster stands, walking past her Master and glancing at her as she walks. A hint of venom in her tone, but it faded as she spoke.
"Be selfish. The world wont care what you do if you do it for other people. Wish for riches, wish for your wretched parents back, wish for a beautiful palace and the hand of the closest king or the death of your worst enemy. Wish for women, men, knowledge..."
She paused, standing at the door and looking back.
"Take it from someone who granted a thousand selfish wishes, and a dozen selfless ones. No one will ever thank you for the gifts you give them. They wont care, and they'll just ask for more. You'll give more, until there's nothing left. They'll betray you in the end. Wish for your own happiness, at least through the Grail you're guaranteed to get it. See you soon, Master."

So saying that, she left with a little wave and closed the door. Caster paused and looked down at herself, noticing she was shaking slightly. Calming herself, she took off to the door, using her Shapeshifting Skill to transform her physical body into a more translucent form. Time to scout.
"Why'd I go that far...? This shouldn't bother me. Whatever, let's find some new toys."

[Lazy Kitsune]

Rose had already thought of how flawed simply wishing away suffering with the Grail would be. This was one of the reasons she was struggling so much with finding the right words... she needed to figure out something which would result in the right kind of impact, without only being a temporary or meaningless solution. She didn't expect to come close to solving the world's problems, but maybe at the least she could start a trend of future mages using the grail for selfless reasons.

Still, the Genie's words left her in silence as they echoed around in her head. She stood, affixed to the same spot right up until the Genie left, and even for a few moments longer. Maybe she would have had a response if the Genie had stuck around a little more. Maybe she wouldn't. Either way, it didn't matter. Because at the core of what the Genie was saying there was something Rose deeply agreed with. They both saw the unfairness in the world and if someone as powerful as the Genie felt it was so pointless to try and confront it, then what chance did a novice mage such as herself have?

Still, time wouldn't wait around for her to deal with her own personal dilemma. She might not be able to save the world, but the least she could do was stop the other mages making it worse. Turning around, she headed off to the training area in the back of the room to try and get some work done in improving her skills in magical casting.

(Caster is Scouting - Servant's choice of location / Master is Training to try and increase Magic)

[mrblah]

Reaver

Rider frowned at hearing the name of his Noble Phantasm, but offered no other signs of losing any composure. "So you know this old blade... that's quite surprising. It's a well forgotten weapon, so much so that my legend barely spoke of it. By chance, are you a big history buff?" He joked with a smirk, twirling his blade in his hand. "This must mean that you're aware of my true identity... or, maybe you only know of my sword?" Rider then made to charge, but paused as Golden Vulture's body double landed. He got into a defensive stance, assuming there'd be an immediate attack.

"... A clone, then." He murmured, lowering his shield. "Don't worry! I'd never be so disrespectful to a foe as to ignore him for a fake!" Rider responded, a confident smirk on his face. "Now, as I was..." The Servant resumed his charge, shield in front and sword to the side as he focused solely on Golden Vulture. With the boosting, he was much faster and got to him quicker than before, sword already swinging out as - he stumbled, his weapon still falling in an attack but lacking a little power. Golden Vulture blocked the attack with ease, with Rider less focused and with a slightly annoyed expression. Golden Vulture's double took the opportunity presented to attack, Rider's shield out to the right as he jabbed a dagger into his left si -

Quicker than Rider had shown himself to be, he spun to face the clone, his shield bashing his dagger out of the way. Rider delivered a forward stab into the clone's chest, a focused gaze still on Golden Vulture himself. "You'll find that I'm more than capable against trickery. I'm not a man to be made a fool out of, by any illusion, solid or no." He smirked, already moving to guard against any incoming attacks.

Meanwhile, with the Masters.

Pridolia was launched through the air, cutting through the distance between her and a slightly wide-eyed Master, her hands hot with a furious curse. But before she could make contact with him, the man quickly raised a purple hand up, her spell nullifying as a wave moved through her and disrupted her Od flow. She still managed to crash into the man, shouldering him and falling on top of him as he let out a pained noise, the two skidding across the ground. The unorthodox attack dazed Pridolia, but as she was getting up to move off of him, the man quickly palmed her in the chest, the power behind it enough to push her back and throw her off of him. She could definitely feel some sort of magecraft related reinforcement behind the attack.

Pushed back some distance away from the man, Pridolia looked up to see him floating himself backwards and up, a now irritated expression on his face. His suit was scratched up and looking less priceless, he had to wipe his mouth to clear some blood from it, but his hair looked as immaculate as it did before. "Quite the strange tactic." He spoke for the first time. His voice had a deep undertone, but sounded light enough to not be too out of place as a female's. "You wouldn't be the first to throw yourself at me, but you'd be the first to try to break my back while doing it... quite rude." A polite smile was beginning to form on his face, a chuckle coming from him. "Now, may I have the name of this ill-mannered and aggressive woman?"

High in the sky, the proof of time had appeared, the sun moving to occupy a different location. The morning had been spent, with only the afternoon and the night remaining in the day.

Battle Log
Rider attacks for 1,150! [Power = 750 + (4 from d4 x 100) = 1,150. SP Cost: 2.]
Golden Vulture defends! [Endurance = (19 x 40) + (4 from d4 x 100) + BONUS (d4 x 50 = 200) = 1,360.]
Critical defense!
Counter roll is 47. No counter!
Mimicry attacks for 860! [Power = 760 + (1 from d4 x 100) = 860. SP Cost: 2.]
Rider's Skill activates! [70% chance to automatically counter. Roll: 61. SP Cost: 1.]
Rider attacks for 750!
Mimicry is defeated!

Golden Vulture: 7600/7600 HP. 4800/4800 MP.
Rider: 84% HP. 100% MP.

Masters (Short Distance Battle)
Pridolia attacks for 600! [Spell's damage = 200 (1 from d4 x 200) + 400 (Magic = 20 x 20) = 600. SP Cost: 2.]
??? uses Counter Magic! [SP Cost: 1.]
Pridolia's attack fails!
Pridolia crashes into ??? for 400! Pridolia takes 200!
??? uses Open Palm! [Ability's damage = 100 (1 from d6 x 100). SP Cost: 1.]
??? uses Air Maneuver! [SP Cost: 2.]
Battle is now Long Distance!

Pridolia: 1500/1800 HP. 1700/2000 MP.
??? 78% HP. 67% MP.

RandomRoninKitten and LittleManKitten

The trip back to her base went without a hitch, with only a few more people giving her odder looks. Time had passed by as morning shifted to afternoon, the sun hanging high in the sky. Sinclaire arrived at her base, the familiar factory a pleasant sight to see after the battle she experienced. Her Servant wasn't back yet, possibly still scouting, as she was before she was attacked. Guess there was still things to do. Train, scout, fortify, gather resources... or she could take it easy and rest up.

Meanwhile...

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Agility check; d20 roll; 18 + 2 from Ability mod. 20.

Sirius was ducking through alleys and hiding behind people, making stealthy rolls like in the books and sticking to the shadows. Her target didn't seem to notice anything, greeting passersby and making her way around town, just doing... good, acts of kindness? The strange woman had stopped a few times to help old people cross streets, assist someone with their grocery bags, helping a cat out of a tree and teaching a kid how to ride a bike. She seemed like a philanthropist with her random acts of kindness, helping anyone who she came across. And somehow, no one saw her as out of place or suspicious. People seemed to greet her with enthusiastic kindness of their own, in fact. She saw her talking to a group of elderly woman and laughing near a hair salon!

Finally, the strange adventure seemed to end, the woman walking into a park and sitting in a chair. She had a bag of bird feed out, with a flock of birds eating what she had thrown down for them. Sirius watched this from her spot behind a tree, sneaking glances just to be extra safe in making sure she wasn't spotted. One of the detectives in a book she read used a similar tactic with a newspaper. A tree was just something bigger to hide behind.

"Will you be joining me for a chat, or do you wish to continue creeping around and watching from the shadows?" The woman suddenly called out. Could she have meant... "Yes, I do mean you, the one behind the tree. Make this easy for the both of us and just come sit with me. I simply wish to speak with you and learn why you've been following me." Another glance revealed to Sirius that the woman was directly facing her tree. There was no doubt that she was speaking to her.

Lazy Kitsune and CondorBoH

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Training roll; 4. Magic increased by 2!

With the Genie gone and a perfectly good training area nearby, Rose set off to train. She meditated, focusing on the flow of Od coursing through her magic circuits. After that, she practiced a few of her spells and did some light exercise. By the time she was done, she had worked up a light sweat and was feeling a little tired, but she thought it was worth it. There was no noticeable change, of course. Magecraft simply didn't work in such a convenient way as to produce results with just a little training, much like with physical exercise, but it still felt effective after a good training session.

Meanwhile...

Roll: 5

The Genie had departed from her base, separating from her partner and leaving her to her own devices as she chose to scout around Lincoln. In her spiritual form, she was able to move unseen and unheard, easily moving through the mass of people. She kept an ear out, listening for any interesting gossip or anything that might catch her attention. And it seemed like the people were fairly observant and talking, today. Through a few conversations, she caught a few mentions of strange happenings around Lincoln Castle and the Cathedral, places she remembered were supposedly safe zones that were off limits during the war. An exotic and kind woman had been coming and going from there, seemingly having become somewhat of a local celebrity with her many acts of kindness, not to mention she wasn't a familiar sight around town. But... there were also some strange noises and lights from the castle, with some people saying that they felt like they were being watched as they passed by it.

Futhermore, there's another strange person whose been around, recently. A woman prancing about in a gothic dress and a red cloak had been around earlier in the morning. They had been buying a number of oddities, from spices to strange chemicals and herbs, to glass bottles and paint, to paint brushes and apples. No one could really tell what she needed all of this for, but everyone had pitied the tall young man with a long ponytail accompanying the woman, who was forced to carry the bags. He seemed exhausted. The Genie was also lucky enough to catch onto a passing mention that they were headed south through Lincoln.

Looking up, Genie could see that the sun was high in the sky, detailing the change of time. It was afternoon. If she wanted to try and follow this lead, it'd probably be best to do so before nightfall.

[CondorBoH]

My how the world had changed. Of course she knew of the changes exactly through the nature of the Holy Grail War, but it was still a surprise to see the modern world for the first time. Not to mention the cold, the wetness of the country. As a Heroic Spirit, the temperature didn't bother her, but the lack of aridity to the environment seemed... sad. Shaking off that thought, Caster continued to investigate and eavesdrop. As tempted as she was to display her trickster nature and fool around with some of the humans, it was too early to do that and it would cause unwanted attention towards her and her Master.

But hearing about those strangers and the rumours, most notably the castle, gave Caster pause. That had to be bait, or something to do with the overseer of the War, as that location was meant to be a safe zone. If another Master had occupied that area, things were going to get rough.
She chose to follow the lead about the gothic woman and her poor assistant, following the way of the rumours. If she caught sight of her target, she would watch them from afar before retreating. If it was a Servant/Master pair, she didn't want to get caught up in a fight with them alone, not to mention far from her Territory. Caster's thoughts turned back to her own Master, wondering if she had any talent in familiars. They would be far better suited for scouting than a Servant like her...

[mrblah]

Her traveling led the Genie downtown, towards the end of Lincoln proper. She looked high and low for any sign of the mentioned suspicious people or any clues, but hadn't spot much else. There were less people out and about near the edge of Lincoln, so the odds of someone odd sticking out were very... found them. Or rather, one of them. It was the female of the pair [url=(she looked much younger than one would have expected]https://i.imgur.com/GEm8Fjw.jpg[/url]), who was seen talking to an older man at the door of his home. He had a nervous air about him and his shifty eyes denoted paranoia. He was scratching his balding head, no doubt a nervous tic, while he spoke in a harsh whisper to the woman. She was, on the other hand, very calm with a snide smirk. "... those materials... paid... your wife..." It was hard to catch what the two were whispering about, but after the gothic woman said that, the man breathed a heavy sigh of defeat and nodded. He disappeared back into his home, closing the door and leaving the woman alone.

... Time ticked by. A minute, two... the woman stood patiently, a listless expression in her eyes. On the third minute, the door swung open and the balding man appeared, with a plain cardboard box. The man gave it to the woman, who took it with a smile, giving her thanks and turning around to leave. The man at the door just watched with a sorrowful look, one that turned into a glare at the woman. He closed the door roughly. The gotchic dress-clad woman laughed.

She walked away from the Genie's location, heading down the street with her unknown package, whistling some happy tune. The identity of the woman was still unconfirmed, and Caster couldn't spot hide nor hair of the male companion she was supposedly dragging around.

[Reaver]

"Well struck!" Golden Vulture's clone muttered as he was ran through before exploding into a shower of golden energy. "Well struck indeed." Golden Vulture agreed, smacking the flat of his dagger against the palm of his free hand. The pieces were slowly falling into place as Rider revealed more and more of his attributes and abilities. A couple more clashes and Golden Vulture was certain he would have been able to figure out the man's true name, but now he wasn't sure if he had that luxury. His master had joined the fight in a spectacular way and while he was proud of her willingness to throw herself (almost literally) into harm's way, it added another variable to his own fight. Now he'd have to win his fight before she possibly lost her own.

"Your abilities do seem to match up with your legends, that test did prove that." Golden Vulture said as he attempted a bluff. "I do wonder when you'll pull out your other noble phantasm, hopefully not right before your defeat? I think I should wrap this up just in case my master hit her head too head when crashing into yours and loses her duel." Chuckling as he struck. This time he mixed things up by going straight for Rider. Darting right up to him, Golden Vulture raised his dagger as if to drive it into Rider's neck; only to leap back once he reacted to feint before lunging back in to stab him in the gut. Whittling the man down would have to do since mimicry would be useless against someone like him. He could only hope his master would last long enough.

Pridolia winced through the pain of the crash landing and the master's palm to her chest; it hadn't been the ideal start to the fight but she couldn't deny the results it had gotten. The magus knew countermagic and an open palm technique, troublesome, but not insurmountable; and air magic which was quite annoying. Add that knowledge to the satisfaction she gained from drawing his blood and Pridolia was feeling rather sublime about all of it. "I have no reason to give you my name. Nor am I feeling obligated to do so. Had you not used burnout to try and alter the natural course of the fight I might have felt ambivalent enough to continue watching or maybe even join you down here to converse as the heroic spirits fought." Pridolia would have been more than content to leave things to Golden Vulture as he was more than capable in single combat, but with the burnout used things could change at any time, necessitating a different way to their win condition. It was a calculated risk, one Pridolia believed to be worth it and with a reasonable chance of success.

First things first, she needed to close the distance in case he was well-versed in long range magecraft. "Besides, it's rude to ask for a lady's name before giving your own." Grinning cheekily as she started running towards him. Trying to get right in his face immediately would be too costly as covering that much ground would either leave her vulnerable to salvos of spells or give him enough time to reset the encounter by maneuvering back again with air spells. It would force him to use his mana, something she figured would be somewhat finite since he had used a burnout spell, but all that pressure and effort could easily be nullified if he had some exlirs on hand. Better to get within optimal range and test his defenses to see if she could put the fight in her favor by setting him on fire. And destroy his nice suit, seeing an opportunity for some petty payback.

Once in medium range, Pridolia dropped down onto one knee and pointed her right hand at him like it was a gun. Which it basically was, as a volley of crimson cursed fire bullets shot out from her index fingertip.

[mrblah]

Reaver

The feint worked as Rider lifted his shield to bash against the supposed attack to his neck, only to end up with a knife in his gut. He grunted, glaring at Golden Vulture in an accusatory gaze. "Good move..." Rider responded through grit teeth. "It seems I underestimated you... for an Assassin, you're quite good. Much more skilled in close combat than an Assassin ought to be, eh?" His voice sounded casual, but the tone of the words made it seem as if he were second guessing his original belief of Golden Vulture being an Assassin. "... You're as tricky as an Assassin, but experienced in frontal combat against someone who clearly would have the advantage in an honest battle... and you claim to know much of me." Rider smirked. "But that's a bluff, isn't it? If you really knew who I was, you'd know who I am, and I don't think you do."

"You want my Noble Phantasm, right? You wish to finish this battle soon? Then so be it. You might be asking more than you can handle..." Rider got into a stance, shield in front and sword high with its tip aimed at Golden Vulture, a sharp and cold expression on his face. His sword began to glow, the old and chipped blade somehow seeming to regain its younger luster as the weapon shined. The dull silver looked polished, showing a reflection to all who saw it, of themselves. As Rider lowered it to his side, the weapon seemed to stop glowing, looking far sharper and more dangerous than before. Rider's eyes were hawk-like as he glared at Golden Vulture, and he threw his shield to the ground to hold the weapon in both hands, stabbing it into the hard ground like a hot knife through butter. "Then, prepare yourself... for the might of the King's Beast Slayer!" He charged, letting out a battle cry as he cut the distance between the two and swung, the sharp blade cutting through Golden Vulture's defense to land a sharp cut on his chest.

Meanwhile, on the other battlefield...

With the volley of fiery curses on its way towards him, the unnamed Master moved to dodge, but was knicked by one on his arm as he moved. He hissed as the curse did its work, the affected skin turning a reddish color as the foul curse worked its magic. "Flame Bullet, huh... a good curse to learn, to be certain." He mimicked Pridolia's action, aiming his left hand at her. He fired off his own Flame Bullet, his hand cocking back as if from the force of recoil. The bullet sped through the air, making contact with Pridolia and burning her skin. Nothing she wasn't used to, though, but she noticed the sensation not going as quickly as normal. Her skin was probably burned from the curse.

"... And I suppose you may have a point. If you wish it to be this way; then my name is Leon Donovan, of the Donovan family." The man smirked, giving a nod to Pridolia. She recognized the man's family name. The Donovans were a prestigious family known for taking in experienced and powerful magi of all types, respecting all forms of magecraft and its users, no matter how dark and depraved or how non-traditional. They get a lot of contempt and flak from many from the Mage's Association for their focus on power and practicality over knowledge, along with other things. If this man claimed to be a Donovan, then he must have at least be a magus worth his salt.

After saying that, the man then flicked his wrist, floating backwards as the wind carried him further away from Pridolia, a polite smile on his face as if he didn't know what he was doing.

Battle Log
Golden Vulture attacks for 1,160! [Power = 760 + (4 from d4 x 100) = 1,160. SP Cost: 2.]
Rider defends! [Endurance = (17 x 40) + (1 from d4 x 100) = 780.]
Rider takes 1,004 damage!
Rider activates his King's Beast Slayer! [MP Cost: 22% per turn. SP Cost: 1.]
Rider attacks for 2,100! [Power = 750 + (3 from d4 x 100) = 1,050. Doubled by NP. SP Cost: 2.]
Golden Vulture defends! [Endurance = (19 x 40) + (2 from d4 x 100) = 960.]
Golden Vulture takes 1,908 damage!

Golden Vulture: 5692/7600 HP. 4800/4800 MP.
Rider: 70% HP. 78% MP.

Masters (Long Distance Battle)
Pridolia advances! [SP Cost: 1.]
Battle is now Medium Distance!
Pridolia uses Flame Bullet! [Spell's damage = 400 (4 from d4 x 100) + 400 (Magic = 20 x 20) = 800. Burn chance: 50%. Roll: 99. MP Cost: 300. SP Cost: 2.]
Leon defends! [Magic = 25. 25 x 10 + 2 from d4 x 20 = 290.]
Leon takes 510 damage!
Leon uses Flame Bullet! [Spell's damage = 200 (2 from d4 x 100) + 500 (Magic = 25 x 20) = 700. Burn chance: 40%. Roll: 11. MP Cost: 300. SP Cost: 2.]
Pridolia defends! [Magic = 20. 20 x 10 + 2 from d4 x 20 = 240.]
Pridolia takes 460 damage!
Leon uses Air Maneuver! [MP Cost: 100. SP Cost: 1.]
Battle is now Long Distance!

Pridolia: 1040/1800 HP. 1400/2000 MP. Burned.
??? 50% HP. 51% MP.

KittyCatCake and KnightVanilla

Roll: 3.

The Master and Servant pair traveled off, journeying to New Boultham to scout out any possible enemies or competition. They arrived rather quickly, having to pass down through Lincoln to get to their destination. There wasn't a great amount of people in New Boultham, but the exact amount you'd expect from the town, with cars driving up and down and men and women walking along the sidewalk. The two were in Rope Walk, moving down as they kept their eyes and ears out, not picking up too much other than the usual stuff. It was then, some time into their search, that Sylvie caught the mention of something interesting from a pair of gossiping elderly women.

A tall woman accompanied by a shorter woman had been acting quite strangely out near a Pizza Hut. The taller woman had dragged the smaller one in, and there was some loud commotion inside. There was a lot of shouting and metallic noises.

Sylvie and Bradamante remembered that they, in fact, had passed by a Pizza Hut earlier. They didn't hear anything from it, but maybe there'd be some clues as to the location of these two women, if it were anything worth being checked out?

[Reaver]

The pain from the King's Beast Slayer cutting into his chest was something, to say the least. It was the kind of pain a person felt yet knew they'd be returning tenfold momentarily. It brought a smile to Golden Vulture's face as he grabbed Rider's sword arm with both hands. "You'll need more than the might of that sword if you wish to beat me!" He chuckled out as flakes of golden energy emanated from his body. "Let me give you a taste of my power and identity," confidence oozing from his voice. His hands became engulfed in the gold light, a light that quickly began to spread up Rider's arms and towards his polished sword. "It looks like something worth plenty. Back in my day I probably could have bought a couple of camels for it on looks alone." Golden Vulture planted a foot forward, putting all of his weight and muscle behind himself as he sought to disarm Rider and steal his sword. "Shameless Looter!" He roared as his aura finally engulfed the sword. To Rider, simply holding on to his weapon would be excruciating, growing by the second as Golden Vulture attempted to overwrite the very ownership and history of the weapon with his own. "I am Berserker and you have something of mine!" His voice was filled with greed and spirit, just like his wild grin as his eyes turned into golden circles and the brilliant aura flared up. The ground began to crack under his might and the square filled with his laughter. There was much satisfaction to take in a plan that had worked to perfection.

Pridolia glanced Golden Vulture's way, feeling a pang of envy that he could enjoy his battle so leisurely since it had basically been decided beforehand. Of course, she wasn't beat either, simply on her back foot so to speak. Cursed flames licked at her skin and soul; annoying in relation to the battle but all in all, quite comforting as it felt like the caresses of an old friend to the curse specialist. "Donovan..." Repeating the man's family name out loud to make him think it mattered to her. In reality, she did respect their methods and principles, seeing them as productive and representative of the ideal magus. A Holy Grail War was different though, so she couldn't give two shits which family he came from or how much clout he had on the outside because if she beat him here then all of it wouldn't matter and vice versa.

"Never heard of your family." Stating it flatly with a hint of disinterest in her voice. "Maybe it's because I studied at the Magic Foundation instead or your family just hasn't accomplished anything notable yet? I'm sure they'll be known once they marry you off to a powerful family. I hear the Edelfelt's have the cutest prodigy heir. Tell me though, have you obtained your magic crest yet? Or am I fighting a novice right now?" Grinning cheekily as she attempted to goad him into attacking her. Priodlia knew her attack potential wouldn't be at it's highest while the cursed flames ate her body, so going on the defensive, for now, would have to suffice lest she wasted all of her mana in fruitless attacks. She wouldn't be wholly undefended, however. The verses and hand movements necessary for Entropic Pull came to her easily as she prepared and hoped for an attack of his own. You like staying so far back, maybe you have a good reason to do so.

[Littlemankitten]

The woman kept getting more and more strange. Usually when Sirius thought of an alcoholic she thought of a mean, violent person. This woman however, proved amazingly nice and helpful to everyone she came across, disturbingly so in fact. Sirius had never seen anyone so kind just wandering the streets before. She wanted to know more. Rolling and hiding behind trees just like she read in the books and seen in countless movies, Sirius attempted to follow the woman, and seemed to be doing a good job. The woman never acknowledged her presence and the entire time Sirius was convinced the woman never saw her. Once she was lead to the park, she found a large tree to hide behind that the woman would surely never see her behind.

Sirius let out a sharp "eep!" when she realized she had been spotted. But how did the woman find out? She did everything exactly like in the books, and had done it flawlessly to her knowledge. Must be some weird magic thing that allowed people to sense where someone is, that or perhaps she just wasn't as good at stealth as she had hoped. Regardless, she had to respond to the strangely helpful woman. Sidestepping away from the tree, Sirius bowed a little and spoke. "I'm sorry for stalking you miss! I had just seen you in the bar with all those mugs and was intrigued by your presence. Surely a feat no other human could match, all the... Drinking." Sirius let out a shudder at the thought of so much alcohol but continued on. "So... uh, I got curious and decided to follow you to see what other impressive feats you might accomplish in your day?" Sirius told the woman quite truthfully. Really, Sirius didn't have a definitive reason to follow her other than the fact she was scouting, and curiosity had taken over her. What was that archaic saying about curiosity and a cat? Shaking her head of the thought, Sirius stood by the tree, not wanting to move any closer just in case she needed to range to do something.

[KnightVanilla]

Once it was decided upon where they would go scouting, Este had found herself somewhat uncomfortable as she continued to review her own situation with a master who was essentially her weakest point in their sense of combat. However over time it became more and more clear that her ability as a magi made her the ideal master Este's own abilities. Before leaving, Este took a moment to dress herself in the common day attire as she felt more of the breeze with such clothing. "To think ladies of this day would wear such loose clothing."It mattered not for her comfort, but the ability to blend in would work best for herself and her master.... Ruggerrio however seemed quite fond of her new dress making a few remarks that weren't proper for the ears of the public. Despite this she couldn't help but chuckle and smile as she left the house with her master.

Stepping out into the town she hand wondered just how much of the world had changed since the time of the holy roman empire. "Sylvie, so you still have yet to name a desire of yours within this war. Only a crucial desire for victory... but how do you anticipate for this to continue afterwords. I know my wish to make of grail, but whether it comes to pass or not doesn't change my circumstance. What truly worries me is the circumstance of this war... its being conducted solely on the machinations of mages. From what I know of the grail, it has been conducted to with the supervision of the church." She spoke quite disturbed of the nature of this particular war. Before finally hearing the words of the the rumored pizza hut she wondered just what might be going on in said location.

"We should explore those rumors master." She purposed deciding to drag Sylvie along whether she desired to or not. Hopefully they would be able to encounter another master.

[mrblah]

Reaver

Rider's eyes narrowed, then widened as Golden Vulture attempted to steal his King's Beast Slayer. The uncomfortable searing pain lacing through his arm caused Rider to grit his teeth, but he held on and fought through the pain, a fierce determination in his look. "How dishonorable of you... to attempt to steal a fellow warrior's prized possession..!" Through weathered breaths, Rider gave a steely response as he battled for control. "Berserker... Assassin... you claim to be many things... and while you are quite powerful, you've made a mistake, friend..." With a loud roar, Rider pulled his arms back to his body slowly, then shoulder tackled Golden Vulture, swinging his arms away as he pushed the man back. "You underestimated me!" With a spin as Golden Vulture was pushed, Rider slashed at his chest again, continuing the spin to then shoulder tackle Golden Vulture again to push him back to keep him off his feet. "I am one of the strongest heroes of my home, a wise general and a great king! I've faced many challenges and have bested the best time and time again! If you think I'd be so easily felled with a trick or two, you'll find yourself mistaken!"

Meanwhile...

Leon's polite smile hadn't moved from his face, and a low chuckle came from him at Pridolia's subtle attacks on his family. "Big words from someone who refuses to name herself. I'm assuming from how reluctant you are to name yourself, that you may come from the same situation you insinuate I'm in? No-name family throwing their heir at the Holy Grail War to try and get some recognition?" He shook his head in mock pity. "Poor you. I'd never know how difficult it might be to become great as an underdog, but do know that I'll be cheering you on from far over here." The man made to sit down with his legs crossed, using Air Maneuver to levitate himself as he pulled out a book, hinting at his mastery of the spell - but instead of opening it, he paused, then checked a watch on his wrist. Leon frowned. "... It appears we've run out of time, my dear. I was going to read this wonderful book to you, but any longer and I'll waste my day away. And while I'd enjoy spending a day with a beautiful woman such as yourself, I'm afraid duty calls."

With that, Leon began to float backwards, heading away from the battle at hand. "Rider!" He called out as he fled. "We're retreating. Keep that Servant busy, then make your way back to base in spirit form! If you see a chance to defeat him, take it!" Rider glanced at him, narrowing his eyes in annoyance. "It would be disrespectful to flee like this! If you didn't have the time to offer a true fight, why leave the trap in the first place?" Leon only shrugged in response. Rider sighed. "Well, I suppose there you have it. I apologize, but our battle will have to be cut short." That said, Rider charged at Golden Vulture once more to try and lock him in combat.

Battle Log
Golden Vulture activates Shameless Looter! [MP Cost: 90%. SP Cost: 1.]
Strength Contest; Golden Vulture's roll = 8(Rolled a 2. +2 Strength modifier. +4 bonus from Conditions Met). Rider's roll = 14(Rolled a 11. +3 Strength modifier).
Rider retains King's Beast Slayer!
Rider attacks for 1,700! [Power = 750 + (1 from d4 x 100) = 850. Doubled by NP. SP Cost: 2.]
Golden Vulture defends! [Endurance = (19 x 40) + (2 from d4 x 100) = 960.]
Golden Vulture takes 1,508 damage!

Golden Vulture: 4184/7600 HP. 480/4800 MP.
Rider: 70% HP. 56% MP.

Masters (Long Distance Battle)
Pridolia defends!
Leon defends!
Pridolia attempts to clear the burn! Roll: 78.

Pridolia: 988/1800 HP. 1400/2000 MP. Burned.
Leon: 50% HP. 51% MP.

Littlemankitten

The woman chuckled, noting Sirius's reluctance to get closer to her. "You mean to say 'surely a feat no human could match'." She gently corrected. "Surely you could tell what I was at first sight? The way I conduct myself, the aura I exude, the very manner of my speech? It is not lost to me that I am very outstanding within a crowd of humans. To mistake me for one is... most vexing, but I forgive you. No doubt you simply wished not to offend." She turned to face her birds, throwing down more bird feed as she spoke. "You should reconsider your desire for distance. I promise upon the name of my father that I shall not harm you, unless you see fit to attack me or greatly offend me without offering the proper apology. Now, I am Queen Hatshepsut, daughter of Amun, Ruler of this very war. I'm aware of your class, Archer, but what is your name?" She introduced herself with a smile, once more looking at Sirius.

[CondorBoH]

How suspicious. Caster narrowed her eyes at the scene before her. She couldn't exactly hear all of the conversation, but it was clear that the odd woman was extorting something from the man. She didn't think this was a Servant in physical form however, considering she'd be able to tell immedietly, but this wasn't a situation she wanted to be in alone. Where was the male, for example?

After the woman went off on her path, Caster watched her progress for a moment before deciding it was too risky to pursue. The male companion was, no doubt, hanging around nearby the catch stragglers. The fact that she couldn't sense someone nearby was a worry in of itself. What if he was an Assassin and...
Overthinking it, she shook her head and began to back away. Time to retreat with what she had learned for now, she had seen the woman's face so that was enough. If her Master, or herself, could conjure some familiars the scouting and locating of this stranger could be succeeded without much of a problem.
Regardless, she felt too vulnerable alone as she was, so retreat was the call for the day.

Caster retraced her steps about halfway before ducking into cover and leaving her spiritual form, using her Skills to transform into an otherwise nondescript jogger and making the long way around to her safehouse, changing back to her spirit body when she felt safe to do so. Better safe than sorry, if she could follow and track someone, then someone else could do the same to her.

[KittyCatCake]

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Once it was decided upon where they would go scouting, Este had found herself somewhat uncomfortable as she continued to review her own situation with a master who was essentially her weakest point in their sense of combat. However over time it became more and more clear that her ability as a magi made her the ideal master Este's own abilities. Before leaving, Este took a moment to dress herself in the common day attire as she felt more of the breeze with such clothing. "To think ladies of this day would wear such loose clothing."It mattered not for her comfort, but the ability to blend in would work best for herself and her master.... Ruggerrio however seemed quite fond of her new dress making a few remarks that weren't proper for the ears of the public. Despite this she couldn't help but chuckle and smile as she left the house with her master.

Stepping out into the town she hand wondered just how much of the world had changed since the time of the holy roman empire. "Sylvie, so you still have yet to name a desire of yours within this war. Only a crucial desire for victory... but how do you anticipate for this to continue afterwords. I know my wish to make of grail, but whether it comes to pass or not doesn't change my circumstance. What truly worries me is the circumstance of this war... its being conducted solely on the machinations of mages. From what I know of the grail, it has been conducted to with the supervision of the church." She spoke quite disturbed of the nature of this particular war. Before finally hearing the words of the the rumored pizza hut she wondered just what might be going on in said location.

"We should explore those rumors master." She purposed deciding to drag Sylvie along whether she desired to or not. Hopefully they would be able to encounter another master.

"That's my desire, to win. What happens afterwards is that I return to my family, and continue to work with them, side by side, as I have in the past. In other words, for me, I believe little will change." Sylvie patiently listened to her partner's concerns regarding the war itself, and nodded slowly "That piece of information has always been my chief concern regarding the Holy Grail War, and the fact that the church is usually overseeing them only causes my concern to grow. I don't trust them as far as I can throw them, the Mages OR the Church." she said, as she flipped her bangs with one hand, a scowl on her face "On the other hand", she continued "They have something we want, and whether they're doing this for some secret benefit to themselves, and I'm sure they are, I suspect they simply paid certain Masters to fight to obtain the Grail for them, which won't matter, because we'll beat them, too." she then nodded at her partners suggestion that they investigate the Pizza Hut, then spun on her heel, heading in the suggested direction alongside her partner.

[Reaver]

Pridolia watched Leon leave with a hint of relief and far more anger. She was quite certain they both knew he had stood a good chance of winning their duel, it was just a good thing that he was overly cautious and had decided to retreat rather than push all the way to victory. Victory took merit and the will to push through the setbacks, something Golden Vulture certainly knew now if not already. Watching his Noble Phantasm be overpowered was something to watch, the storm of gold energy being broken before Golden Vulture was tackled to the ground and slashed. His ego and pride would certainly be wounded now so retreat wouldn't be an option unless she used a command seal, something that'd sign her own death warrant against the magus-hating servant. Besides this could provide an opportunity to perhaps convince the servant to join her side or at the very least buy Golden Vulture enough time to recover and come up with a new strategy. She waited for Leon to leave before putting her own plan into action.

"You say you're a wise king and a noted general and hero of your land!" Shouting as she walked towards the fighting servants. She wasn't stupid enough to get too close, figuring staying at medium range would give her enough space to react if he decided to attack her. "Yet you bend the knee to a man that would not only abandon you but also run from his own fight. You serve a coward!" Pointing a finger at Rider. "I cannot truly believe that a heroic spirit of your prestige would so willingly stoop so low. You've seen the one that has allied himself with me and while you may not agree with his battle techniques certainly you can acknowledge his pride as a Heroic Spirit, one that wouldn't allow him to ally himself with one he believes to be underneath himself. Join us and I wi-"

"Enough!" Golden Vulture growled as he got up to his feet. Pridolia only glared, knowing this wasn't the time to turn this into an internal fight. "He said no when I asked him and I wouldn't accept his help until after we've beaten him." Kings! Like mages they were all scum; no morals or codes of conduct. Anything went as long as it benefited them, just like Hammurabi. "How many died under your rule from your choices?" Directing the line towards the enemy servant as his right hand shimmered with gold light. "A king only becomes great on the backs of soldiers and peasants. Put in the history books because everyone else died for his cause instead of him. Is your dynasty even around or did your country fall under? I'll put you down just like I should have done to the last king I dealt with." Stating it flatly as his Sword of Renewal materialized in his hand. "A weapon of Gilgamesh's. A king's weapon to slay a king, quite fitting no?" Grinning widely as his fighting stance changed to a more aggressive one that had the scimitar extended in his right hand and his assassin dagger close to his chest in the left hand. "Denying me that treasure was your fatal mistake." His eyes shooting daggers and rage.

It looked like diplomacy was out to Pridolia as she stood scowling a few meters back. "I'll support you where I can just make sure hubris doesn't get the better of you." Strongly advising Golden Vulture before drinking one of the exlirs in her satchel to restore her mana.

"Fine, just don't get in the way." His mimicry emerging from his back before waltzing backwards to guard Pridolia. The mimicry would be more useful anyways serving as a buffer should Rider decide to attack Torvald, than being cut down several times from the man's ability activating.

"Oh boy, he's mad!" The mimicry chuckled to Pridolia as he stood and watched Golden Vulture sprint to meet Rider's charge. "Madder than I was when Rider slammed that sword into my chest."

"He's free to get mad, I know I'd be if I was outmuscled and wasted my noble phantasm. But all he needs to do is survive the Beast Slayer long enough and then the tide will return back to him." It sounded simple enough but only time would tell if Golden Vulture was up to the task. There was also the nagging thought in the back of her mind that perhaps this servant wasn't Rider like Golden Vulture thought. It was possible that the Heroic Spirit was truly Rider and had another and far stronger noble phantasm as an ace but that level of strength, one that allowed him to overpower Golden Vulture made her consider that perhaps he was Berserker. Even if he was a famous hero, even if he was partially divine, there was a negligible chance of him having higher strength parameters as Rider than Golden Vulture in the Saber class. A Berserker made that possible even with light madness enhancement. Still, they couldn't afford to change tactics based on guesswork. Golden Vulture had done well enough while having zero hints of the man's identity, he'd just have to keep it up.