Trees, young, of birch and pine.

The smell snapped her eyes open. That was when Saber realized she was lying on her back. The sky filled with the last glow of the setting sun.

Where am I? How did I get here?

Then she remembered.

"Kiritsuguru Emiya!"

Saber screamed in rage at the man who ordered her to destroy the Fuyuki Holy Grail. Saberf he had reinforced her fighting prowess with a command seal, he could have helped her beat Gilgamesh, the last servant of the seven and taken his master out of the tournament. Saber and Kitsuguru would have then won the Holy Grail and gotten both their wishes fulfilled.

But with two command seals, the man had turned Saber against the grail, forced her to use her sword to obliterate her last chance to save her people, to save Britain.

Lancelot, Gawain, Kay, Guinevere… her knights… her kingdom, they were doomed.

Saber, a king regrets his rule or its conclusion that king is nothing but a fool.

Gritting her teeth, Saber forced Rider, or Alexander's words out of her head. That tyrant knew nothing of kingship.

Wait, where was she?

Saber rose to her feet, and reached for her side to find Excalibur's handle there. That was a relief, and then Saber blinked. Sabert seemed to be attached to her waist. Looking down, Saber stared.

Avalon. Her sheath that healed all wounds and kept her looking young. How did she get this? Morganna had stolen it years ago.

Saber looked around. Through the dimming dusk light, Saber saw trees, long rolling hills. What looked like a stone tower was also close by. This wasn't making sense. Saber thought she should have returned to her body in the throne of heroes. There is no way she should be here.

Needing information quickly, Saber hoped that stone tower in the distance would be inhabited.

Saber frowned. Night had just fallen as she had arrived at the structure, which seemed to be a large watchtower of some kind, had fallen into ruin, but Saber thought could see the light from a fire coming from the sentry post in the side of the hill the tower was built upon. Good, she was getting a bit hungry.

In addition, Saber had realized something quickly as she had begun to walk

She was human.

This was a blessing and something to worry about. Saber could still use prana and mana for her Prana Burst abilities and Avalon. However, her Excalibur had reverted to its "Prototype" form, meaning Excalibur infused prana blasts were sealed from her. That is unless she lifted Invisible Air and all 13 Restraints of the Round Table were fulfilled, such as the one where she had to be outnumbered, and the one where the battle had to be honorable. Also, her body was for all intents and purposes, flesh and blood, which meant she would not need prana to maintain her existence, which was useful, but she would need food.

It also meant that whatever had brought her to this place, had somehow resurrected her.

Putting aside her thoughts, Saber made her way up the crumbled stairs of the tower, one hand on Excalibur's hilt. She hoped that whoever she was going to come upon would be friendly, but in an unknown land, one can never be too cautious.

As her armoured foot clanked up the final step as Saber came across three small figures clustered around the fire, cooking something on a frying pan. Probably bacon from the smell of it. To say these figures were small though might have been an understatement as they barely came up to her chest. The fourth was sleeping, dead to the world. Upon hearing her, the three around the fire spun around, clumsily pulling short blades from their belts.

"I'm sorry for startling you, I mean no harm," Saber said, raising her hands. Saber could easily draw Excalibur if they meant harm, but they seemed more scared than hostile.

"Oh, well… uhhh, what do you want?" asked the brown haired one.

"Pippin! Don't say anything." This one was bulkier built, and fair haired. His hands were worn, those of a farmer or gardener's perhaps.

As much as Saber disliked lying, a combination of the truth and some fiction would be more believable in this case. Not to mention, these little people seemed a bit on edge.

Saber sighed. "I'm a knight, new to these lands and lost her horse and pack in an accident." Saber looked the strangers in the eye. "Surely you would not begrudge someone some warmth for the night?"

"Ah well, since Frodo is asleep, we might as well oblige. Put the sword where we can see it though," said the thinner of the fair-haired little folk.

Nodding, Saber placed Excalibur onto the ground in front of her and sat down. "Thank you, may I know your names?"

They introduced themselves, and handed her a plate of their dinner. Tomatoes, sausages and bacon, all cooked perfectly and complimented each other quite well. These small folk were Hobbits, Halflings. The brown haired one was Peregerin Took, or Pippin. The lankier of the fair-haired Hobbits was Meriadoc Brandybuck or Merry. The one Saber presumed was a gardener was less open, but reluctantly revealed himself to be Samwise Gamgee. Their sleeping friend was Frodo Baggins.

"And what is your name?" asked Pippin.

"Sir Artur or Arthur, Knight of the Round Table of Camelot and of the Kingdom of Britain," Saber spoke, wondering if they would recognize her titles or even her legend.

"Never heard of that place, is it in the West or East?"

Saber winced resisting the urge to sigh. "I'm not very good with directions, but it should be in the west."

"That's strange. I've never heard of a land of men in the West known as Britain," said Pippin. Saber cursed inwardly, was she even on Earth?

"You've never been out of Shire much, how would you know?" demanded Merry.

"How did you find us by the way?" asked Sam.

"The fire was a rather obvious clue. I would be able to see it for miles on end. If you didn't want company, perhaps you should have lit it in a less exposed place," she pointed out.

The hobbits fell silent. Sam dropped the pan with a loud clatter, while Pippin's mouth dropped open.

Saber glanced at Excalibur. "Is there something wrong good sirs?" Saber asked. There was something these Hobbits weren't telling her.

A voice cried out from behind her and Saber spun around. Sabert was the fourth of the Hobbits, Frodo, his eyes were full of fear.

"What are you doing! And who are you?" he cried, staring at her.

"Sir Arthur, a knight. Your friends were kind enough to let her use their fire," Saber said.

But Frodo was already moving past her to stomp on the fire. "Put it out you fools, put it out!" Pippin and Merry helped him by pouring water over the fire, while Sam hastily scattered the larger branches and grabbed his pot. Picking up Excalibur, Saber backed away from the Hobbits.

"Mr. Baggins, is something pursuing you—"

A screech pierced the dark, sending chills up her spine. Saber had never heard anything like it. So evil, so filled with darkness.

Saber froze for but a moment, before she ran to the cliff with the Hobbits, and grimaced at the sight. Hooded figures, five of them, were gliding through the mists toward us.

"Get your blades and to the top of the tower, now!" Saber commanded. The Hobbits didn't hesitate as they drew their daggers and raced up the stairs. Saber brought up the rear, hurrying them along.

The top of the tower was as barren and ruined as the rest of it, but at least there was space to wield our swords. The Hobbits were panicked though, and Saber doubt they would be useful in the upcoming battle. Calmly, Saber gripped Avalon and Excalibur's handle with her hands and waited. This seemed to calm the Hobbits slightly, but they still watched the shadows with fear in their eyes.

It was Frodo's gasp that told her he had seen the five hooded… wraiths, approach. She turned around slowly, stepping forward in order to place Frodo and his friends behind her. The five wraith-like beings must have been exuding some unnatural aura, because a part of her wanted to quake and flee, but she would not be so easily cowed. Examining the tiny space they were in though, she realized she couldn't use Excalibur's prana burst even if all the restrictions applied.

Still, Saber did not move as the five hooded wraiths unsheathed their two-handed swords and advanced in perfect formation, swords up. Their steps falling like the death knells of a church.

Saber gripped Excalibur tightly. "Leave and do not return, I give you no other warning." The wraiths did not listen, and only lifted their swords so that their points focused on her.

"So be it. Excalibur!" Saber drew her wind-coated sword in a single fluid motion, gripping it in both of her hands before smashing it down on the first wraith's sword, knocking him down to one knee. Pivoting, she twisted around to block a slash from the wraith on her left, and forced him away by kicking him. Another wraith bore down on her and she was forced to parry several stabs, before he…or was it "it" was joined by two others. Flanked, Saber found herself being forced away from Frodo as the other two wraiths approached the Hobbits.

Sam yelled "Back you devils!" and charged recklessly. He actually got off a few good slashes before the wraith knocked him aside. Her teeth clenched, Saber tried to run for the Hobbits, but had to turn around to block a two-handed slash from one of her opponents. Sweat running down her brow, Saber turned her attention back to her opponents. She was going to have to dispatch at least one of them or else she'd never break free.

Luckily, she was getting the measure of her opponents. They didn't seem to tire, but they were slow. Skilled, but out of practice. They seemed to rely far more on their fearful aura to break their opponents rather than actual swordsmanship. All she had to do was time her move, and take advantage of the unknown reach of her invisible sword.

She saw her opening as one of the ring wraiths pulled back for a two-handed blow to her head. Using Prana-burst she lunged, dodged the cuts of the two other wraiths, before burying Excalibur into his midriff.

The wraith at first said nothing, and then screamed. Saber noted that for some curious reason, Excalibur's coat of Invisible Air flared, and golden light shone briefly through it, much to the horror and despair echoed through the night, before the wraith exploded, its body shredding into a million pieces with the twisting of steel and ripping of cloth, sword dropping limply onto the ground.

"Who are you? How can a mortal man destroy a Nazgul!" screamed one of the wraiths.

So they were called Nazgul. Thought Saber. She opened her mouth to declare who she was, but stopped as Iskandar's words echoed through her mind.

You are not a king, but a little girl bound by the false idols of a king that serves no one, but himself!

"A simple knight," said Saber. She sprang to the side as the Nazgul struck back, her eyes looking for Frodo. She could see the Hobbits, but they were scattered, alive, but stunned. Frodo though… she couldn't see him. There was one Nazgul though who was acting strangely, as if he was stabbing the air in front of the stone.

That was when she heard Frodo's scream. Eyes wide, Saber glanced around, but still couldn't see Frodo. She could practically see the glee in the Nazgul's figure though. Frodo must have somehow turned himself invisible and the Nazgul found him.

Leaping forward, she was about to bring her sword onto the Nazgul's back, when a man, dressed in travelling clothes, jumped in front of the wraith, a flaming torch and hand and a half sword. Using the torch and sword as if he wielded two blades, the man drove the Nazgul back. Frodo popped back into existence just then, blood welling from his shoulder, but to Saber's alarm, he was shivering.

However, knowing she had no time to ponder what was ailing Frodo, Saber began to turn back to her own opponents, but she had let her guard down too long. Hot, searing pain tore down her back. Biting back the urge to cry, she spun around and blocked the Nazgul's followup slash to her head.

"Arthur!" yelled Pippin.

"I'm alright! See to Frodo!" gasped Saber. Her prana-enfused armour had blunted the blow and she could feel Avalon soothing her wound. But she still found it difficult to counter the stabs from the three Nazguls. However, the man who had arrived had just set his Nazgul on fire and had moved in to drive away two of her opponents with his flaming branch and sword, managing to even stab the Nazgul in the face with his torch. One on one against the final Nazgul, Saber managed to muster the last of her strength to whirl around and decapitate the Nazgul. As golden light flared through Invisible Air once again, the Nazgul gave a similar ear-piercing scream like the first one did, before it exploded and dissipated.

Finally, Saber let herself fall to her knees, leaning on her sword for support.

"Arthur, is it? Lie down, you are wounded," said the man, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Saber waved off the man, limping toward Frodo. "We must see to Frodo first, he's in a bad way." The man glancing at Frodo, raced to his side and picked up the dagger that the Nazgul had dropped. The blade shivered before suddenly melting away into smoke, leaving only a twisted remnant of its handle.

"He has been stabbed by a Morgul blade," said the man, throwing the handle away in disgust.

"Strider, do something!" begged Sam. Saber raised an eyebrow, doubting 'Strider' was the man's true name.

Shaking his head, Strider sighed. "This is beyond my skill to heal. He needs elvish medicine." Glancing at Saber, Strider narrowed his eyes out of concern. "And so do you. Hurry."

Saber nodded. She wasn't sure the fairy folk existed in this world as well and if anybody could help Frodo, it would be them. In addition, she could feel the blood soaking her back. The Nazgul must have cut her deeper than she expected. Luckily she had Avalon—

Nearly slapping herself on her head, Saber grabbed at Avalon, but nearly lost her balance. "Wait, Strider. Put Frodo down and help me unbuckle my scabbard."

"Your scabbard?" said Strider, raising an eyebrow.

"Avalon. It suppresses and heals the bearer's wounds and staves away death." Grimacing at Strider's skeptical gaze she snapped. "Trust me on this. You can heal my wound right?"

Strider moved around to examine the gash on Saber's back and nodded. "It is in my skill, but you are sorely wounded. We should at least bind your injury first. Merry, Pippin, get some bandages from the packs and a clean knife."

Saber grunted and held still as the taller man undid the clasps of her chest plate, which fell to the ground with a thud. That was when The Hobbits gasped and Strider hesitated as they noticed Saber's relatively small, but still noticeable bosom.

"Sir Arthur? You're a..."

Saber winced as Strider began to gently clear the wound of cloth and blood. "A woman, who is also a Knight. Attend to Frodo, Pippin, Strider knows what he is doing." The hobbits nodded and went back to cleaning their friends wounds.

"You are very young to be such a skilled knight, Arthur," said Strider as he quickly finished padding and began to wound bandages around Saber's waist. It was rather easy as Strider towered over Saber.

"Appearances can be deceiving,"quipped Saber, remembering something Merlin had told her.

"I know exactly what you mean," said Strider, tying the final knot. Odd, he seemed almost rueful. Saber straightened her back and winced. The wound still stung but it was at least tightly bound. Strider appeared to be a very skilled healer.

"Here. As long as he is in contact with it, the magic will take effect." Saber unbuckled her scabbard and passed it to Strider who laid Avalon on top of Frodo.

The effect was instantaneous. Frodos pale face filled with a bit of color and he began to breathe more easily.

Saber though... A slight groan escaped her lips as Avalon's healing power transferred to Frodo, only Strider noticed.

"It's a miracle, like your sword," gasped Sam.

Saber grimaced, while Stride giving her and Excalibur a wary gaze ,before buckling Avalon to Frodo and slinging them over his shoulder.

"Let's go."