Homurahara: How the West Was Won

Lazarus approached cautiously, making sure to mask his presence as much as possible. He advised the servants to stay in spirit form for now, as he slipped in through the west entrance of the school grounds. He kept his senses open, his heart started to beat a bit faster with the riskiness of the situation. He used the adrenaline to his advantage listening for the smallest noise and opening himself as much as he could to even the most masked presence.

[[Before entering the grounds, Lasare and even the two Servants find themselves strangely repulsed from the entrance. Some kind of barrier is covering the school, not so much a physical barrier, but one that forces the mind of the intruder to somehow see the area within as something they can't enter. Lasare would realize it's a very powerful form of Bounded Field. Caster would tell that it's almost like a barrier that seals off the realms of faeries.]]

Caster reached out to where the Field seemed to begin. "I'd be impressed if it wasn't so damnably irritating." He smirked slightly. "This must be what it's like to fight me. I wonder how to get past it..."

Lasarus frowned, trying to push past the feeling. It would not bend. "Well...let's see..." he stroked his chin, considering what could be done. He decided to remain still to wait and watch. "We'll keep our eyes peeled. Perhaps we can push spells into the field if we see anything or anyone."

A few minutes after they arrived, they they heard a cackle echoing from inside the school grounds.

"You can't get in! Not without an invitation!"

Lancer jumped from the roof of the nearest building to land some distance from the entrance.

"But, don't worry. My Master was just waiting for all of you to arrive. It wouldn't be any fun until everyone showed up! Even the pig and the monster," she sneered, sensing the two other Servants. "Shall we get this started then?"

She cackled and jumped away, diving through the window of the largest school building towering in front of them.

A short moment later, the barrier sealing them out gave way. They were free to enter.

"Go get her. You'll more than likely defeat her this time. We can assist the other master by distracting her. Hopefully he and his two servants can take care of the Apostle." Lazarus decided it would be best for him to stay in the open. If the Apostle attacked him, he would want to be seen. He made his way towards the other masters while keeping an eye on the building his servants went into.

Caster sighed. It was a small dilemma, deliberating over whether or not Lancer was smart enough to lure them into a trap. He shimmered into coporeal form and shrugged at Berserker. "Let's end this little game, shall we?"

Berserker shimmered into her physical form too and nodded happily, following close behind Caster.

He quickly cast two C-rank buffs on her, increasing her Agility and Endurance before entering the building.

Berserker gripped her hammer excitedly and followed close behind her.

The hallways inside were eerily dark and silent. The moonlight filtered in through the windows. They could sense Lancer somewhere deeper in the building. Berserker followed close behind Caster as he went on.

Just a minute after they entered, though, their surroundings shimmered. The walls and floors turned to brick, the windows were sealed with iron bars, and the entrance behind them disappeared completely. Despite them having arrived at night, bright evening sunlight shined through windows.

They now stood in the huge, empty hallway of a Hungarian castle. Caster immediately recognized what had happened... Territory Creation.

Lancer's laugh echoed down the hallways.

"Are you ready to begin?"

"For as obsessed with youth and beauty you are, my dear, your decor taste runs quite thin." He tossed ten gems into the air. They hung around him in a circle as he waited.

"I must say, I credit you for thinking this far ahead. You're clearly more of a tactician than your demeanor would indicate."

Lancer laughed. "That'll show you for underestimating me! There's no one more suited to be the idol of the Servant world!"

"Now, then, as my new captive, you have a choice of destinies laid out before you. Which will you choose?

A) Do nothing, and be killed
B) Plan an escape, and be killed
C) Try to fight me, and be killed
D) Fall from the castle ramparts, and be killed
or E) Barely escape alive and prosecute the demon!"

Caster turned to Berserker, voice quiet. "Be careful here. This is an... unfortunate position. If the opportunity arises for an escape, take it and run. My spells can only compensate for so much."

He straightened up again and dusted off his hands. "An alchemist does not limit their options. It is our duty to research and try everything, and believe me, I shall." He walked down the hall, keeping his eyes open with vigilance.

Berserker nodded and followed close.

"What a stuck-up attitude!" Lancer responded. "If you think you can escape, you're welcome to try. Until then, you're going to have to deal with my castle guards!"

From an adjoining passage down the hallway, ten forms emerged. High-school students, their skin sagged and grey, having been drained of all life. The ghouls staggered slowly toward the two Servants, glassy eyes staring.

Berserker gasped. She knew they wouldn't pose much of a threat... but those poor kids...

Caster frowned sadly. "Poor souls... they're already gone. There's nothing we can do except make it quick." He unsheathed the Azoth sword and made a few swift cuts in the air, slicing through the air and pushing it forward with a strong gust.

[CUTTING WINDS: RANK C]

The magic from the Azoth sword handily cut down the approaching ghouls, and Berserker averted her eyes for a moment as their bodies broke.

Azoth Sword: 970/1000

"Ahh, so heartless! They were just trying to do their jobs!"

By now, Caster could hear that Lancer's voice was echoing from the end of the hall, some 500 feet down. Between them, though, another 20 Ghouls waited.

Caster took a few steps back. "Hold them off if they get too close." He knelt and began chanting, moving his hands around a sphere in the air, a drop of water slowly growing between them.

[FLOOD WAVE: RANK B]

Lazarus noted the action happening at the other side of the grounds. He decided the servants could handle themselves for now, and started up a spell to assist the masters and servants on the other side. He threw down a gem, as it shattered, a wealth of energy absorbed from the ley line washed up, and he absorbed it into his spell. His hands moved, churning and rolling the energy, which sparked, smoked, and began to grow brighter, small flames appeared and grew, orange at first, and then eventually shifting color until they were white hot. He cast the fireball at the Apostle with a shout.

Fireball spell: Rank A

The ghouls were swept back by the waters, clearing the way for Caster to continue down the hallway. At the end were a large pair of wooden doors, where the ghouls waited for them, half of them still trying to get up from the floodwaters.

Caster reached out his hand, sparks flying from his fingertips.

[CHAIN LIGHTNING: RANK C]

The lightning rips through the ghouls, searing their water-logged skin and taking them all down. All that remained were the doors.

Caster toed a body aside before running his hand over the door, keeping it hovering an inch away from the surface to detect magic or any strangeness. "Are you all right, Berserker?"

As far as he could tell, the doors were locked, but no magic sealed them.

Berserker nodded grimly. She was ready to finish this. She readied her hammer to strike as soon as the opportunity arose.

"Let us end this game, Lancer! We've wasted enough time!" His voice lowered as he leant in towards Berserker. "You may need to bash the doors in. Get ready."

Berserker nodded and pulled her hammer back, ready to strike.

"I couldn't agree more!" Lancer laughed from the other side of the doors. "Time to finish this once and for all! Be thankful that you'll be killed at the hands of a true idol!"