Hi there. Hope everyone's been well. Things have been normal for me. This chapter is sure to be enjoyable for those who are looking forward to a fight. In other news, Tokyo Ghoul sure has been leading us all around by our eyes a lot lately. Everyone is so afraid that something will happen, an event that Kaneki might never recover from, assuming he doesn't die. Here's hoping he doesn't die. Ishida, please, please, please give Kaneki a fricking break! Go make someone else's life hell for a while. Like Mutsuki or Aura. I'm a lot of others will agree with me. Something I've noticed while reading Tokyo Ghoul and it's sequel is that a lot a people are quite invested in Kaneki's wellbeing, myself not excluded. It's understandable since our poor beloved messiah has had more bullcrap in his life so far then that of Naruto, Ichigo, Luffy and Eren combined.

Poor Kaneki. Prehaps a trip with his wife and child to some African villages? He could teach children how to read and write. Food for thought.

Kaneki's Noble Phantasm: Quite a few people are asking for some details so I've decided to explain it in detail. Kaneki's Noble Phantasm grants him the ability to house multiple personalities with one sole personality being in charge at a time, like a colony of ants. It is similar to Assassin's Noble Phantasm. His offensive capabilities and physical appearance are a reflection of who is currently in control. Each one has their own stats and skills and require different levels of prana to stay manifested depending on how strong they are. These manifestations don't have the ability to take control away from the leading one by force. The lead positon can only be surrendered to another willingly. Berserker can take this a step further by manifesting a second body that is inhabited by another personality. The original body acts as a medium for the second, diverting prana to the latter body.

However there do exist drawbacks to this Noble Phantasm. Imagine it like this, alright? So many minds in a single body isn't a good idea, is it now? You'll know what I mean if you've watched Red Vs Blue coughTheMetacough. It's no different here. Each persona belongs to Berserker, but that doesn't necessarily mean they agree with every action that is made on the battlefield by the body they are inhibiting. This can cause Berserker to sometimes go back on decisions that he has already made up on when he switches personalities, causing him to lose precious time. Also, having another body is like to having two Servants at once. Kariya can only support what is akin to a pair of Heroic Spirits for so long. Three or more bodies would deplete all his mana almost instantly. Even with an extra supply of magical energy at hand, accidently burning through all his mana is perhaps Berserker's largest weakness.

Before I forget, I believe a congratulations to Ishida is in order. Kaneki and Touka's wedding was beautiful.

Now onto the questions:

L's Cappuccino: Pretty much yeah, but you'll find that this isn't as much as a boon as you think, especially in extended fights.

sinnerlust: Me no like Touken? I'd rather go with the exact opposite thank you very much! Killing Kayneth does seem to be the more logical, but in the end Kaneki (not Kariya) decided not to. The reason(s) why will be revealed later.

Disclaimers haven't moved an inch and Tokyo Ghoul and Fate/Stay Night are still not owned by me. Stupid guidelines. I hate them. I wish every last one of them would just die!

Enjoy.

Lancer's eyes widened as his ears registered Kayneth's words.

He tried to push himself up, but haltered as he felt the effects of the Command Seal. Against his will, he dropped Gáe Dearg, letting it fall to the ground. It landed with a clatter.

The Servant of the Spear then grabbed Gáe Buidhe, shaking as if in the midst of a fit.

Berserker just watched as Lancer tried in futile to resist the effects of the Command Seal. On the inside, he was mildly impressed that the Irish hero was managing to temporarily delay breaking the yellow spear through sheer willpower alone.

In the end, Lancer took his treasured weapon in two hands and snapped it in half. The sound of the Noble Phantasm being destroyed made Lancer's face twist in anguish as though the mere action caused him physical pain.

The Heroic Spirit vanished with his head bowed in utter shame, but not before speaking one final time.

"M-My lord. I'm sorry."

Berserker stared at the spot where Lancer had disappeared with his remaining spear for several moments. Feeling several pairs of eyes zeroing in on him, he turned around and regarded the spectators.

Saber was practically glaring daggers at him. Her face was emotionless, but at the same time letting off a dangerous vibe that resonated off her body in waves. Her stance shifted slightly as though she was unsure of her next action. Her Master appeared extremely worried, looking at Berserker with no small amount of fear. The same could be said for Rider's Master. Rider, on the other hand, was rubbing his chin as he watched Berserker carefully with a calculating expression.

Kayneth, on the other hand, looked ready to literally burst with sheer fury. An expression promising pain, humiliation, and death twisted handsome features into mottled rage which he directed every last ounce at Berserker. With veins producing from his forehead, gnarling teeth along with skin that was rapidly turning a dark shade of crimson, the magus looked ready to commit murder with his bare hands, despite his current predicament.

Admirable, considering he was harbouring a broken ankle. Admirable, but stupid when taking into account that Reaper was currently holding Yukimura 1/3 against his throat.

Berserker hummed, imagining the man covered from head to toe in blood. He was barely able to supress the urge to allow Reaper to devour him right here and now. Killing him was tempting, but they would plenty of time for that later. Right now, letting Lancer's incompetent Master live would be far more convenient for them in the long run. Down to one Noble Phantasm, Lancer was already at a disadvantage. Straddled with a fool and his chances would be even lower. If he was lucky, the Master might even use up a second Command Seal to summon Lancer back to his side.

The Servant of Madness nodded at Reaper who returned the gesture with a flat stare. Even standing a moderate distance away from the ground, his counterpart's bloodlust tinged the air like the smell of a rotting carcass.

"Stop it. Let him go."

Red gloves tightened as the blade pressed against Kayneth's neck, drawing a thin line of blood. Defiance stared at the half-ghoul passively, challenging his instruction.

Berserker frowned beneath his mask, mildly concerned. Things were getting out of hand.

The solution presented itself in the Servant's head.

"What would they think? What would she think?"

That got a reaction.

Reaper stopped. Stone-like features shifted as he frowned.

A moment of silence passed-.

The quinque was lowered as the macabre aura dispersed. Without anything nearby to support him, Kayneth collapsed with a shout of pain. Ignoring the noisy magus, Reaper shot Berserker a look to let him know his displeasure before he vanished from his observer's eyes. He walked to the other side of the roof and jumped off. Several seconds later, Berserker felt the extra line of prana flowing through him collapse, signifying that Reaper had dismissed himself. He made a note of his extra reserves and was satisfied with the amount that still remained.

'Good enough.' Berserker said to himself.

With that out of the way, he turned to face the remaining Masters and Servants.

The silence stretched on for several moments until it was broken by Rider.

"You certainly work fast. Ruining the honourable match between Saber and Lancer. Some would question the honour of your actions Berserker" he said, expression neutral. There was no disapproval, but neither was there any approval either. He was simply making an observation of what he could see.

Berserker acknowledged Rider's words with a small nod.

"What are your intentions?" a stern voice demanded.

Kaneki looked at Saber who had wrapped Excalibur up with invisibility spell again. The other woman was positioned behind her. The King of Knight's once unresponsive thumb was now tightly wrapped around her sword's handle. The tip was steadily in his respective direction. 'It must have been healed by her or her Master while I was busy with Lancer', the half-ghoul concluded.

Berserker crossed his arms across his chest and stared flatly at Saber, eyebrow raised. "An interesting question," he spoke, the tone of his voice polite and even, "is that the first thing you say to every person who comes to your aid, your majesty?"

Saber bristled in response to the question, face flushing red. Seeing her reaction, Berserker mentally noted the King of Knights didn't possess a very good poker face.

At all.

"Do you honestly expect me to believe that you did that in an attempt to help me? Forgive me if I have my doubts." Saber growled, standing ready to fight.

Berserker quickly waved his open hands in denial.

"Not at all Saber. I simply believed that all rulers in the world had to be an example to all who follow them. If they didn't, some people take it upon themselves to decide what and what shouldn't be done in case something unprecedented were to take place. Like, for example, the actions of someone unintentionally benefiting another person even if they were done for selfish reasons. Is that not one of the greatest existing responsibilities of being a king?"

Saber looked surprised at his response, breathtaking emerald twins assessing Berserker and his words. She frowned, eyes widening as though she had just realised something of great significance. Rider also seemed to have picked up on Berserker's words as well, eyeing him with more interest than before.

"You speak as though you have personal experience." Saber noted, voice even. Rider's grin returned full force.

Both Masters didn't seem to understand what she was implying if their expressions were anything to go by.

Berserker chuckled. "Not exactly in a personal manner although probably not in the manner that you are thinking of." His voice rose in volume, reaching a level befitting that of an audience.

"After all, the two of you are not the only kings that stand amongst us."

Kiritsugu was growing more and more tense by the minute, a small drop of sweat descending from his hairline.

For the past few minutes, his scope had been aimed at the four Servants conversing on the ground. The newest arrival, the Berserker-class Servant, had caused quite a stir amongst the others as well. Kiritsugu had gritted his teeth, angry at how badly the situation had degraded.

Then another Servant had appeared out of nowhere and taken Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald hostage.

That black Servant was a mystery that left Kiritsugu completely baffled. Not his existence, but the fact that he had had the perfect chance to kill an enemy Master and had not taken up on the opportunity was sending alarm bells off in his head. While a glance had revealed stats which confirmed the mysterious being was indeed a Servant, Kiritsugu's instincts were telling him that was something about Berserker's associate that simply didn't add up. And he had learned a long time ago to trust his instincts.

Lancer had been forced to disperse due the forced Command Spell. However, even with him and the other Servant gone, that still left three more Servants; Saber, Rider and Berserker with a fourth one, Assassin, watching from overhead, ready to strike at a moment's notice. If Berserker or Rider decided to end the stalemate and attack, Irisviel would be left unguarded and easy pickings for Assassin. At this rate, a withdrawal would be the most ideal choice if the situation didn't soon turn around.

Following a daunting figure with his scope, Kiritsugu's finger instinctively began to tighten on the trigger. Before he could, however, Kayneth rolled of the edge and disappeared from sight. The assassin scowled from loosing sight of his target. He was tempted to pursue but ultimately decided not to. He was needed here. Maiya was a possible choice but the dark-haired man wasn't sure if she would be able to kill an accomplished magus like Kayneth. As much as his personality left much to be desired, there was no denying the impressive capabilities that his primary Mystic Code granted him. Also, having Maiya descend from her position would also leave Assassin unchecked so she couldn't be spared either.

Making a quick snap decision, Kiritsugu contacted Maiya and asked her to send a familiar to follow Kayneth. Even if he couldn't be killed at this moment he could track down the man later and eliminate him then.

The Magus Killer continued to observe.

Both Servant's eyes widened at Berserker's declaration. Saber moved closer to her Master. Rider, on the other hand, didn't seem surprised at all. He started to laugh.

"What! There's another Servant here?" Rider's Master looked around from within the chariot as though expecting a Heroic Spirit to pop out of nowhere. Somehow the boy was able to speak loud enough to be heard despite standing next to a laughing man who was five times his size.

Rider continued to laugh. Waver glared at him in annoyance. "Shut up Rider!"

Iskandar flicked his Master on the forehead with a single finger, sending the boy sprawling to the bottom of the chariot with a yelp.

"Be quiet boy. This isn't the time for such foolishness."

"Indeed." Berserker spoke sagely, nodding his head. Looking at Saber, he spoke to her. "You were dedicating too much attention to your fight, Saber", he explained. "You should pay more attention to your surroundings. Tell me, King of Knights, is it really that surprising that Rider and I weren't the only Servants who took notice of your bout with Lancer?"

Saber frowned, either at what she thought to be an insult or internally berating herself. Behind her, the pale Master scanned her surroundings nervously.

A moment of silence passed.

"Well?" Berserker asked to no obviously in particular, the level of his voice raising, yet still remaining calm. "Are you going to show yourself anytime soon or are you going to remain in the shadows forever? Answer me."

He waited for a reply.

As it turns out, he only had to wait a few seconds to receive a response.

"You claim to be aware of my status, yet you dare make demands of me?"

Golden particles of light illuminated from atop of one of a nearby street light, illuminating the area in brightness so strong it was almost painful to look for the two Masters. The Servants on the other hand had no such problems as they turned to face the anomaly.

Berserker's fingers tightened as he stared down the newest Servant, recognition causing his eyes to widen.

"Master."

"That's the one that was able to beat back Assassin . . . Tokiomi's Servant."

Kariya sounded uneasy – and strangely excited?

Berserker dismissed it for now and focused his attention on the Servant.

In a way, the scene reminded him of his late mentor, pale white and tall amongst a field of flowers and corpses.

Untouchable, flawless, magnificent.

Magnificent golden armour with encased a slightly muscular man of average height, leaving his head uncovered. Flawless red cloth collected at his armoured feet. His physical features were both extremely handsome and frightening, holding an expression of utter contempt that held a heavy weight behind it. His mouth was a thin line, sharp as a razor. Crimson eyes stared down passively, as though they weren't worth his time. Berserker felt something approaching unease wrapping up inside him as those orbs bore right through him like burning coals. Despite himself, Berserker experienced awe at the sheer majestic aura that this man seemed to bath in.

Not a Caster then.

He was willing to bet that this was Archer.

Kiritsugu cursed. Another Servant!?

"Berserker stared down the other Servant passively, though on the inside his thoughts were moving as fast as possible while he assessed the man. Prior to now, he had only gotten the slightest look at him through a familiar's eyes. Now he could make out more details.

Tokiomi's Servant held himself in a manner similar to that of Saber and Rider. Back straight, confident posture (arrogant perhaps more so in this case), an intense air of royalty that few, if not none, could hope to ever match. He stood, arms crossed, as though he was above every single person in existence. His face practically seemed to scream 'I could easily kill you right now'. Powerful killing intent was practically flowing off of him in waves.

This Servant was dangerous, of that there was no doubt.

Things were bleak. Berserker wasn't going to kid himself here. The odds weren't in his favour. If he wanted a better chance at surviving, unveiling his kagune would help.

Kaneki almost immediately found himself not liking the idea as soon as he came up with it.

'Although', he thought, slightly unhappy, 'I might not actually have a choice.'

"On top of that, in a single night two fools dare to claim themselves as kings." Archer said, creased forehead indicating his displeasure.

"I'm afraid you are wrong there", Rider interjected, "I'm Iskandar, the legendary King of Conquerors himself."

Berserker listened silently, assessing possible avenues. Archer was no longer focused on him, giving his full attention to he wanted to make a move now was the time. He slowly began to backpedal slowly. The King of Knights tensed as he slowly closed the distance between them.

"Saber," Berserker whispered as loud as he dared.

The King of Knights kept her eyes of Archer but she tilted her head as a sign acknowledgement.

Berserker continued speaking quietly.

"Would you be interested in a temporary truce? Our situation isn't currently looking good."

Saber only looked surprised for a moment before her expression was guarded once more. It was clear that she was thinking over his offer. Berserker just hoped that she came to decision soon as he watched the verbal bout between Archer and Rider.

Archer scoffed. "Such nonsense. I am the only one and true king of this world. The rest of you are just a bunch of mongrels, regardless of what you claim to be."

Rider pointed at the golden Servant. "Then why not reveal yourself? No true king would ashamed of his own name."

Archer glared.

"You dare question me, mongrel! Me . . . . the king!" He demanded. Beneath him, the lightbulb he was standing on shattered and died as an armoured heel pressed down on it. "If you cannot even identity me in my presence of my glory, then your ignorance will be what will result in your extermination, you damned filth!"

Behind Archer, golden circular portals began to appear, aligning with each other. From the gates closest to their summoner, Armageddon appeared in the form of several weapons. Instead of falling out, the contents stayed locked in place, like ammunition from a gun.

Berserker eyed the collection of golden lights warily. Unlike Rider's chariot, there was no questioning the nature of those things that had killed the shorter Assassin. Even as he was now, the amount of prana each projectile was giving off was nearly impossible to miss.

"I see. So that's how he defeated Assassin." Rider said as he assessed Archer's collection of weapons that were spewing forth from the numerous gates.

Just what kind of Noble Phantasm was that?

The question lay unanswered as the gate unleashed it's contents.

That's his Noble Phantasm without a doubt." Kiritsugu muttered, mostly to himself.

"But why appear now of all times?" Maiya asked.

The Magus Killer frowned. "It makes no sense to appear now. Because Berserker questioned his pride, he decided to appear."

"How do we handle this then?"

"Just keep watching Assassin for now, Maiya."

"Understood."

He went back to watching the events below.

"Dammit!" Kiritsugu cursed.

Berserker's instincts went haywire as Archer let off a pair of projectiles from the gate. One, a golden axe with twin blades, was shot at Saber.

Saber shot forward several metres, doing so a mere instant before Archer fired. Her actions kept her Master out of the line of fire but was still enough to be at her side in an instant if the situation demanded it.

Excalibur met the cumbersome projectile as it's spiked head missed her head by mere inches. Gritting her teeth, Saber shouted a wordless cry as she managed to divert the other weapon's flight path. It shoot past her and exploded against a shipping crate. The shockwave left behind pushed her back several feet. She dug in her heels to steady herself.

The second projectile took the form of a medium length sword with a jewel-encrusted steel hilt.

It shot straight at Berserker.

The half-ghoul waited until the last possible moment before reacting. Counting down, he squared himself. The sword hit its target in the stomach.

Hard.

Berserker choked but wrapped his hands around the blade as the tip slammed against his body, only wincing from the slight pain. He was knocked backwards and was sent flying, his feet leaving the ground. He landed after staying airborne for several moments, making sure to remember to roll. The instant he came to a halt he quickly checked over himself. He could taste blood pooling around the bottom of his mouth and his body ached and was likely bruised but the weapon hadn't pierced him. It was a Noble Phantasm, a low ranking one, D-rank or C-rank at best. Anything higher and he might not have been so very lucky.

Taking a moment to throw the weapon away, Berserker stood up, readying himself.

The sound of lightning rang in his ears. Looking up, he observed Rider take to the skies.

Archer noticed this as well. Six more gates opened. With a sound akin to artillery fire, a collection of spears followed after the King of Conquerors like a swarm of hornets.

From the corner of his eye, Berserker saw Saber charging towards Archer. He quickly followed.

Seeing them, the golden Servant snorted in dismissal at the threat they posed, directing more weapons at the two of them. Saber saw them and instantly reacted. Using every last ounce of strength and speed, she avoided or redirected them all. Behind her, Berserker halted.

Before Archer could summon more weapons, Saber swung her sword.

"Strike Air!"

A torrent of raw magical energy produced by Excalibur arched as it flew. It took two seconds to reach Archer's position.

A golden portal appeared in front of Archer. From the portal, a human-sized gold shield appeared, positioned right in front of Archer. The attack was stopped in its tracks as it impacted the barrier. The street light, on the other hand, wasn't as sturdy. The mana burst utterly destroyed it, along with several surrounding shipping containers as well. Archer leapt and landed on the ground, looking slightly ruffled but not harmed in the slightest. Above him, the shield dissolved into particles of light as he dismissed it.

He was furious.

"How dare you . . . make me stand on the same ground as you-."

A war cry cut him off. Eyes widening, Archer looked over his shoulder.

Rider swooped in from above. One hand held the reins, the other had an unconscious Waver Velvet tucked under a bulging shoulder. With a savage grin, Iskandar directed the slightly singed chariot towards Archer. The golden Servant was temporarily stunned at the sight of the massive weapon of war bearing down on him. He quickly regained his composure. Twenty golden circles opened behind him. Without a moments pause, they proceeded to launch their contents at Rider.

Rider saw them coming and reacted. Gripping the leather ropes with his teeth, he drew his sword.

Berserker and Saber watched with astonishment as the King of Conquerors didn't show a single ounce of fear. Bellowing a war cry, he met the swarm of weapons head on.

The two opposing forces collided.

Berserker and Saber both covered their faces with their arms as the wind pressed a large dust cloud over them. The former was the first to peer over his crossed forearms. The half-ghoul frowned as he saw the dust blocking his view. Looking at a coughing Saber, he only hesitated for a moment before quickly grabbing her shoulder and roughly shaking her.

Saber recovered her bearings and glared at him, prompting Berserker to stop. The King of Knights looked angry and opened her mouth but Berserker shook his head.

"Now's not the time for that. Focus on the battle."

Saber looked like she wanted to argue but instead composed herself. Her expression was neutral but her eyes were as sharp as steel. "Very well. However, if you touch me again you'll regret it."

He looked at her in disbelief before shaking his head, a tad bit impatiently. "Wouldn't dream of it. Now come on."

Saber stared at Berserker's back before following after him.

Moving outside the dissipating cover, Kaneki spotted damage to the surrounding area that hadn't been there before. More of the ground was torn up and several more containers had been utterly demolished. Up ahead, he saw Rider duking it out with Archer. The golden Servant's face was one of pure anger. He was nursing a split lip and armour that was clearly marked in several places. The half-ghoul found himself impressed that Rider had not only managed to hold his own but had managed to land some damage.

Surprisingly, the flying bulls weren't dead yet. Perhaps they were phantasmal beasts of some kind?

Speaking of Rider and damage, the King of Conquerors was faring much worse. He had suffered a multitude of injuries in the mere thirty seconds or so that Berserker and Saber hadn't been in the fight. He was bleeding from a wound to his temple, blood running down the side of his face. A ceremony dagger was buried up to the hilt in his left arm which happened to be the same one that carried his Master.

He seemed to be struggling to keep a grip on back on the boy's collar. On top of that, there were over a dozen gashes and bruises that ran up and down his face and his forearms, indicating he had been struck by more projectiles. The armour, which had probably saved his life, was dented and damaged in several places. The chariot was also chipped in several locations as well which reinforced Berserker's belief that the Iskandar's mode of transportation was a Noble Phantasm.

Rider was moving just as fast as he was before, despite his injuries. His expression showed how much strain he was under, although the strength in his eyes were just as strong as they ever were. His high strength was allowing him to bat away some of the projectiles with his sword, but there were just too many of them for one Servant to handle on his own. To make matters worse Archer was opening more gates. The weapons coming out of these ones were larger in size and producing more prana then the earlier ones. Rider noticed them and tried to dive bomb Archer but was forced to retreat higher into the sky as more weapons were launched at him. The oxen meowed in protest.

Something needed to be done.

A plan quickly began to form in his mind.

Berserker looked for Saber and found her standing next to him. She was assessing the battle and if her current facial expression was anything to go by, she had come to the same conclusion as him.

"Saber, how much prana do you have left?" Berserker asked.

The female Servant, much to her credit, didn't waste any time pondering over why he would ask such a question. "Enough to last for an extended period of time. Why?"

"Your mana burst attack. Rider and I will buy you the time you need to find a good position. It probably won't kill Archer but it might allow us to get close enough to him."

Saber blinked. She stared at him critically as though judging him for any signs of trickery. Berserker thought she was going to reject his idea but she nodded in acceptance. "Very well. Make sure you don't get caught in my attack."

Berserker simply scoffed. "I'll try not to."

Saber nodded curtly. Sparing a glance at her Master, who was still standing at a safe distance, the wielder of Excalibur retreated.

He didn't even turn to watch her leave. Sighing, he moved his neck from one side to the other, getting rid of any stiffness. Up ahead, Archer noticed him.

"Another piece of trash dare challenge me? Such disgusting vermin will be treated as such."

Swirling portals opened.

As if a switch had been turned, energy began to course through Berserker's body like a fire hydrant. He relished the feeling. The half-ghoul giggled, voice rising in pitch. His thumb pressed down on his index finger, producing a disturbing cracking sound from it.

"If I can take you with me, I will most gratefully take you up on your invitation Archer. I don't think I've ever been trodden on before."

Grey and white was replace by red, an island amongst a sea of black sclera.

Excitement reared it's head.

Shall we enjoy the experience together?"

This chapter was fun to write, especially the fight scene. I struggle with extended ones so I decided to bring this chapter to a halt here and continue where I left off next chapter.

Omake (consider it canon).

Berserker was surprised to find himself in an unfamiliar setting. Feeling damp grass beneath him, the King of Ghouls slowly sat up.

The sound of laughing children rang against his ears.

Looking around, he didn't immediately recognise his surroundings. For some reason, he felt as like he should. A set of swings were nearby, just visible from the corner of his uncovered eye. Looking back, he noticed a few wooden benches as well as several other pieces of equipment that one would find in a child's playground.

"Girls, lunch time!"

Confused, Berserker stood up.

Feeling the warmth of the sun on his back, he took note of the hanging orb's position, using it to roughly estimate the time of day.

Vibrations from the ground alerted Berserker to an unknown presence. Twisting, he was ready for anything, ranging from a late lackey of Eto's looking for revenge to disposable cannon fodder sent by a Master. Bones cracked as his fingers curled. Beneath his metal-hard skin, predatory organs ached to be released.

That sound again.

The ghoul released the breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding back when he saw a pair of running girls who didn't even reach his chest in terms of height. One was holding the hand of her companion, leading her onward.

The sight prompted a feeling of nostalgia in his chest.

"Hurry up, Sakura! Come on!"

"Rin, please slow down!"

How strange, he could have sworn that he knew them from somewhere.

Berserker relaxed, watching silently as they continued towards him. He remembered the familiar weight of the mask that hid his face. Doubt swirled in his belly.

Did they not realise what he was? He could only blink as they ran right through him as though he were in astral form. What was that?'

Looking over his back, the two girls were making their way towards one of the benches. Against his better judgement, he followed them.

As they approached, Berserker noticed two people waiting for them. A woman was leaning over with a picnic basket on the table while talking to a seated man who had his back facing the Servant. He turned as the two girls practically swarmed the table, small hands clamouring for the nearest plates. The woman who the half-ghoul guessed was the girl's mother based on the physical similarities smiled, a warm expression that for some reason didn't seem to quite reach her eyes. The Servant took note of her slightly slumped shoulders, remembering others that he had met who had type of posture.

Berserker frowned, farmiliar memories that had been long buried surfacing to the front of his mind again.

Shaking his head, he examined the other adult.

It took several seconds to recognise the woman's companion.

It took Berserker a few seconds to recover from his shock.

Kariya was happy, far happier then Berserker could ever remember him being. The man was prehaps only a year or two younger here and yet the differences were enormous. His long hair was clean and dark, not white and dishevelled. His healthy skin tone was slightly tanned was well, unblemished and bearing no scars of torture and mutilation. He had two working eyes and limbs that didn't refuse to function properly.

The half-ghoul was almost afraid to ask.

How much had Kariya suffered to get this far?