Chapter 3

"Huff...huff…"

The winds of North Pole blast through Artoria of Saber-class harshly. The cold weather wasn't much to Saber when there was a huge amount of prana back on her world, but this world was different. "I'm...near, I'm sure…" she said as her metallic boots sunk deep against the snow. Her blue cape flung viciously as she proceeded forward.

Her right hand was almost covering her eyes, making it hard for her to see where she was heading. Though it wouldn't make much of a difference. The trail in front of her was completely shrouded with heavy curtains snow.

I couldn't get proper bearings...but I know its near. The knight's cape swirled and almost pushed her aside, but she only grunted as she forced herself to walk her already cold stone heavy boots. There wasn't any visible path, but what Saber could only sense was growing, welcoming, feeling of magic.

There should at least be an opening...unless this snow storm is a magical protection ward. That would explain why I can't see much. And then, as she thought about it, the wind stopped its harsh whistle, silence filling her ears, and the storm disappeared. Saber was confused for a moment, but then her eyes landed on a huge shadow standing several miles from her.

"Whoa…" she sighed in bewilderment. A tall structure was standing on top of an ice cliff. The sky above was blue and the sun's shine glinted along the curve roof of the building. "It looks like an observation deck," Saber looked more and noticed something. The blue beam was still on, it was passing through the hole on the roof. She had reached her destination.

"This is it, then." Saber's hopes rose and she began to walk towards the building.

The door made a heavy creaking sound as Saber pushed it open. She quickly jumped in, raising her sword in alertness. There could be enemy, she thought as her green eyes scanned the long dark corridor in front of her. The door behind her jolted as it closed, making her glance back.

The chandeliers above her suddenly lit up, making her baffled. The dark corridor was now livelier and alive-like. Is this building...welcoming me? Artoria thought, but she didn't bother as she proceeded.

Much to her dismay for stealth, Saber's boots echoed loudly across the corridor. The knight's senses were up for nearby enemies. "This place…" Her eyes skimmed around the walls. They were all painted with children smiling happily, candies and goodies with appetising wrappers.

Ok...at least it isn't scary. Saber took note of the friendly strangeness. She wasn't expecting this. She continued walking, ignoring the rest of the murals and then stopped. Saber looked up and down the large dual doors in front of her, bathed in gold and murals of children all smiling cheerfully at her.

"Am I supposed to go here?" she asked herself. Only silence answered back, but she knew the answer already. Artoria held onto the large dual handles and then immediately pushed it. The door creaked loudly under its weight as it moved. Saber's eyes laid quickly on the room, expecting enemies to appear.

"By the jove...what is this place?" Instead, however, she was startled. The room was wide and spacious and in a circular shape. The ceiling was high and domed, filled with paintings of children. Rows and rows of bookshelves lined up around, books and scrolls placed perfectly and shining in brilliance. The floor was clean and sparkly. She could even see her own reflection.

Saber wandered her eyes everywhere, still marvelled, when her gazed landed on an object in front of her. Right in the middle room, standing in the middle of a ritual circle, was a stand. On it was the blue crystal, still emitting the same blue beam that she had followed.

"This is a ritual circle…that explains why I was summoned...but again who?" She recognized the symbol on the floor. She walked towards the blue crystal.

"This is the beam…" *Click* Her senses piqued as she heard a sound, making her turn around and land her eyes at the wooden console. There were buttons on it, all lit up and typing by itself.

"Now this is getting interesting…" she said as she went towards the panel and watched as the button began to form words on the screen in front of her.

A SABER WAS HERE. The words flashed on the screen. Oh, its just checking my attendance, much to her disappointment. She was about to move, but then another round of clicking noise echoed. Words began to form again.

AN ARCHER IS HERE "Archer-?" But before she could finish her sentence, she felt a presence behind her, the presence of a servant. Artoria quickly summoned her sword and swung it from behind. A clash of red and blue illuminated the room.

"You! Show yourse- huh?!" Artoria pointed her sword, but then she was startled. The being was indeed a servant, but not just any servant. It was a man with a tanned skin, and he was one she was too familiar with.

"Still jumpy, aren't you, Saber?" the man said and formed a grin. Saber's eyes widened in recognition.

"A-Arch-no- Shirou?"

Artoria's eyes were still wide in shock. She remembered him. Shirou was her master back in the previous world. The man in front of her was also from that world, and he too was a servant. However, that wasn't the only reason why she was too familiar with him. He and his previous master were just one person. To be precise, he was her master's future version of himself.

She lowered her sword, but the man quickly materialized a single blade in his right hand.

"Careful, Saber, I could throw a dagger at you and slash your neck with it." Archer beamed his grinned at her.

"But you know, Shir-Archer, that it is futile." Because you're not like that. Artoria thought sadly as she lowered her sword completely. Archer shrugged and dematerialized his blade and crossed his arms.

The two stood silently as both of them looked at the console, the only sound that echoed through their ears was a low, ambient sound emitted by the room. "So, any idea why we're here?" the mood changed quickly as Artotria heard curiosity in Archer's voice. He too was clueless. She glanced at him thoughtfully. At least he was feeling the same as her, lost and puzzled.

"I could ask the same thing to you." Artoria replied plainly, but then the clicking sound came again. Both of them looked as new words began to form.

"Hmm?"

"It says...LANCER WAS HERE-"

"Well, well, well." Artoria turned around just as Archer made a disappointed grunt.

Oh no...any lancer but him...Archer, recognising the voice, thought as he turned around slowly.

Emerging from the door, walking calmly and placidly, was a Lancer-class servant. Artoria was surprised, recognising the new arrival. Wearing a blue overall battle suit with a cocky grin and red eyes, she knew his name right away, because he too was also from the previous world.

"Cu-Chulainn." she said as Archer clicked his tongue, gravely. "Great...any lancer but him."

The lancer-servant, grinned madly at them. "Well, well, isn't this a surprise reunion." he said with great uninterested at them. He shifted his eyes to Archer and bore his smile. "Yo, Archer…"

"Lancer," The two men stared at each other, summarizing themselves and then a burst of sparks accompanied by a loud clash of metal echoed throughout the room. Archer had summoned a new pair of blades, this time with black and white alternating colours, and it was blocking the tip of the other man's spear.

"Heh, quick as ever, Archer."

"And fast as always, Lancer." Archer said indifferently as Cu Chullain jumped back and pointed his spear and thrust forward. Archer swung his two blades and bended backwards, avoiding the spear, but the blue lancer was faster. He quickly raised his left foot and kicked the archer-class servant in the back.

Archer then jumped back, gaining distance from the blue lancer. "Heh, now that was new." Archer said, grinning despite the pain aching on his back.

"And you were just old." Lancer belittle the red Archer, drawing a taunting sneer at him.

*Click, click, click* Saber, who was watching the two men, quickly diverted her eyes towards the console, new words were forming on the screen. "A Caster was here-" Just as she said that, a loud thud echoed to her left, making the other two look in the same direction.

"I didn't notice a lift was there." Saber thought as a round-shaped elevator stopped and the door opened loudly.

"Hmm, just as I thought, there's a battle going on." Saber's eyes widen as her hairs stood on end in recognition. The person who walked out, clothed in violet and black color robe, of the elevator was a servant, a Caster-class, but she also knew her real name.

"M-Medea." Saber uttered as Medea landed her cold, yet menacing eyes at her. "Oh...Saber," Saber gulped down as the Caster-class gave a malicious grin at her. She fought her back in her previous world and she was a tough opponent…and she was, somewhat, obsessed with her. Now that had frightened her

"Caster...you too?"

"Of course, why not?" Medea walked near her and leveled her killer-like eyes at Saber. "You got a problem with that?" Medea beamed at her as Saber only gulped down, disturbingly.

"Heh, well, Saber, you got yourself an enemy, and its the witch, Medea." Medea's right brow twitched after she heard the red Archer's remark. She quickly turned to him and scowled. "Shut it, bastardo!"

Hmm, Mexican, Spanish?

"Don't take your eyes of me, Archer, or do you prefer to kill the witch princess?" A vein popped inside Medea, this time after she heard the Blue Lancer. She raised her right hand, forming a magic circle, and firing a single violet beam at him. Lancer simply jumped to his left, avoiding it.

"Shut your dog mouth, you blue pupperino!" This time Lancer angrily shouted at her. "Eh?! You saying somethin' to me, bitch witch!?" An angry presence suddenly built up between the two and Saber only watched clueless.

This will end up bloody- *Click* However, the sound of the keyboard interrupted her, making her shift her gaze. New words had formed on the screen: 'A RIDER AND ASSASSIN WAS HERE. "Two more?" Saber though. If my hunches are correct then the rider could be- Saber thought and began to anticipate. If Archer, Medea and Lancer were here, then the rider servant would most likely to be-

"Attention to all servants! Cease your fighting...for I will join!" the familiar voice of a man echoed loudly throughout the room after the two dual doors slammed opened. Saber's anticipation ceased. The servant that arrived wasn't what she was expecting. However, the new one was also very familiar to her.

"Iskandar-san!" Saber exclaimed as Archer approached her and asked, in a curious manner.

"Acquaintance, Saber? I don't remember him from the previous war."

"Because he was from the 4th Holy Grail War...where I also participated." Saber said quietly, making the red archer look at her, confused at what she said. He was about to ask more, but Iskandar had already reached them with a wide smile, gleaming at recognizing a former servant.

"Saber! You're in this world too. Things always get interesting whenever you're around." the Rider servant said in a complement as he remembered the 4th Holy Grail War.

"And so are you, King of Conquerors," Saber replied gladly. And then she heard a grunt beside her and she realized that Archer was still standing beside her.

"Oh this is my friend, Archer." Friend? Archer thought strangely as Artoria looked away and continued. He felt strange after being called a friend by her. The Rider-class then towered over him, making Archer feel lightly threatened. This servant...He could sense the man's strong power, which matched his strong physique and cold eyes.

"Archer-class...eh."

"Yeah." This guy...is a tough cookie. Archer thought as his right-hand twitched, a mannerism that he gained when he was about to create his pair of blades, Kanshou and Bakuya.

"Well, it's nice meeting you, Archer!" Iskandar, however, laughed heartily at him and forcefully patted him by his right shoulder. N-never mind...he's ultimately a muscle head. Archer thought, embarrassed for thinking too much. All of his thought about the rider-class had disappeared, though he could still feel his strong power.

Artoria smiled at the two men. She mentally laughed after she observed Archer's grimacing expression on the Rider-class. "Excuse...beautiful medieval lady." She then heard a voice behind her, making her turn around. A man stood before her, his black-brown trench coat rustling as he raised his right hand.

"Howdy, is everyone a servant here?"

"Indeed. Unless you're not." Saber observed and caught a brief glimpse of a pair of old-looking rifles on his waist. Is this the Assassin-class? He looks like a cowboy. Saber wondered. The man was really an Assassins-class, she concluded with the pair of hanging rifles as she observed him more. The man bowed slightly at her and lifted his cowboy hat with his left hand.

"Greetings, Ma'am, I am Winchester, an Assassin-class…" He smiled and cast his golden eyes at her. Saber felt a rush of hot blood on her face. This man's charisma level...its high. She felt his charisma which somewhat aroused her, but it was a friendly, and it made her smile.

"Hello then, Winchester."

"An Assassin-class, huh." Archer and Rider finally noticed the Assassin class. Archer looked at him with interest. However, his eyes locked onto his two rifles. It was emitting a strong aura of augmented magic. A projection, no. he thought, quizzically, while staring at it.

Rider wasn't amused. His eyes were both cold and unwelcoming to the Assassin-class. "And...Is every man in the west the same? Wearing cowboy hats and riding horses?" Rider added, mocking the Assassin's clothes and guns. Saber noticed his hostility and was puzzled.

"Iskandar. Oh, I remembered." And then she remembered why. In Class affinity, a Rider-class's weakness...are the Assassin-class. Iskandar showed great displeasure to it.

Winchester smiled at Iskandar, casting his golden eyes at him. "No, Mr Rider. We have different variants too." He wore his cowboy hat again on his brown hair. "But if you want to know more about me. I'll just have to say to you that… I'm an A++ rank servant, a five star perhaps."

Archer and Saber stared at him. Both were startled at what he said. A-rank?! Saber couldn't believe what he said. A power of heroic spirits is determined by the influences, culture and collective consciousness of all the people around the world. If a hero was really famous and beloved by everyone, the more power he would gain, and all of those heroes fall under A+ rank.

"Who are you, really?" Saber then asked. If you're an A+ rank, that means you're very famous. And then it dawned on her.

"Winchester...Winchester...wait a second, don't tell me you're the Winchester rifle?" Archer also had the same thought as Saber. The man named Winchester smiled at them. They were correct. He crossed both of his arms on his thick chest and proudly introduced himself again.

"Indeed, I am Winchester, the physical embodiment of the world's famous rifles." Archer and Saber looked at him with awe. Now they knew why they could feel a strong presence from him. He was truly a powerful servant.

A sharp, mocking laughter cut Winchester's prideful introduction. Iskandar still towered over him, unfazed and unimpressed. "So, you're just a tool then, Assassin." He crossed both of his arms and looked down on him. "I have to admit, your guns are pretty famous...famous for being lousy rifles."

"What?" Winchester's jolly mood from earlier quickly disappeared. Saber gulped down as she noticed a sudden mood change from Winchester. His face was half smiling. However, his eyes… They were cold, deep and calculating, predator-like. Winchester then finally faced him, and looked straight to his eyes.

"You heard me, Assassin. You would not stand a chance against me and my noble phantasm," Iskandar said, ridiculing Winchester more. Winchester's face was still, but then slowly created a calm smile, which startled Saber and Iskandar. "I appreciate your comments about my products, King of Conquerors." He moved away from Iskandar, but his eyes didn't leave him.

"However...just because you're the King of Conquerors, doesn't mean that you shouldn't mind your tongue," And then, in a blurry glimpse and with a astounding speed, Winchester took out his left rifle and pointed it at Iskandar's head.

"Son of a-!" Iskandar, shocked, was about to reach for his short-bastard sword, but then he felt something hard, pointing at the back of his head and then on his back, on his waist, on his -

"Archer, those are-?!" Saber and Archer finally noticed it. There were ten rifles, all floating in mid-air, and all were behind Iskandar. "When did he created those?!" Archer was wide eyed, He should've sensed some prana as those guns appeared, but those rifles seemed to have manifested out of thin air, stealthily. The Assassin-class was more deadlier than he thought

Assassin glanced at them, observing their reaction and smiled. "Did you know, Mr Iskandar, Winchester rifles are also famous for another thing. Sarah Winchester, a spirit medium." Winchester began to walk towards Iskandar as he flipped his left rifle, cocking it, the other ten rifles also tilted automatically.

"However, Sarah Winchester couldn't see what type of ghosts she conjured. You see, most of the spirits that she summoned were bad and naughty ones, so she created spells and chants, which she then casted to every rifle that the Winchester brand possessed. Thus she could shoot them all down." He stopped and stared at the stricken scowling face of Iskandar in a mocking manner.

"So...Winchester rifles are not just famous for gunning down cowboys in the west...we're pretty much famous for hunting ghosts, demons and devils." He lowered his voice as he moved his face closer to the Iskandar and said. "Do you understand now…Rider." And then he moved back again and put back his left rifle on his holster. Iskandar felt the rifles, behind him also retreated and disappear, making him feel at ease.

He cast an angry look at Winchester's smiling face, pride smashed to pieces, and growled as he spatted. "I hate you."

"The feeling is mutual...little king." Iskandar glared at him more, but then he clicked his tongue and looked away, furiously. Winchester then went back to Saber and Archer.

"That was...impressive." Archer began and side-glanced at Rider, who seemed to be looking at the huge globe, sulking from defeat.

"Thank you, mister Archer. Are we all complete?" Saber then remembered why they were all here. There was only one more servant class that was missing among them.

She looked back at the console. 'A BERSERKER HAS ARRIVED', "A berserker, I wonder who'll be our berserker-" *THUD* Saber then heard the elevator jolt to a stop. She and Archer looked, waiting for their Berserker to arrive.

"I do hope it's another A+ servant." Archer mumbled and side-glanced at Winchester cautiously. Just in case, he thought vividly. Saber watched as the servant began to emerge from the elevator.

"Eh?" Saber's eyes began recognize the new arrival. Another familiar servant had arrived. His huge grayish-skin color, together with its metallic skirt and huge stone sword, there was no mistake to the identity of the servant.

"Heracles!"

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me…" Archer grumbled in protest. He too knew Heracles and he had fought against him. And he was one tough opponent. Archer didn't like him much.

Heracles' cold eyes landed on the two of them. His huge frame was enough to make Winchester hold onto his rifles. He too had sensed danger from him.

"Wait. Heracles...were you too summoned into this world?" Saber asked as Heracles nodded. "Are you our enemy?" she asked again and the Berserker-class only shook his head slowly. She and Archer felt at ease again. At least they knew the strong Berserker wasn't threat to them.

"Oh, who's this? A new friend for conquest!" Iskandar, noticing an arrival of the new servant quickly, approached him, intentionally and forcefully bumping Winchester right shoulder, and extend his right hand.

"I am Iskandar, King of Conquerors. Together, we shall conquer the world!" Berserker silently shook his right hand and didn't reply. Iskandar then glanced at Saber.

"Ah, his name is Heracles-"

"Heracles you shall be my noble ally. How's that sound?" Heracles raised his left hand and made a thumbs up, making the Rider-class laugh. "I like you, Heracles. We shall be friends…and allies." he said and made a side glanced at Winchester in a haughty way. The Assassin only snorted, irritably and looked away.

Saber and Archer looked at the scenario in front of them. "Hahaha, well, aren't we all a funny bunch." Archer said and laughed lightly, making Saber laugh too.

"Indeed. Looks like somethings good is going to happen here." she said and looked at Archer. The two them stared at each other for moment. Saber noticed something on Archer. His smile was a very calming one, one that she was familiar with but hadn't seen for a while.

"What, Saber?"

"Nothing, Shirou-" She paused and quickly corrected, "I mean, Archer." Archer felt a strange mix of emotions from Saber's quirkiness. She wasn't like this before or as far as he could remember.

He smiled at her and said. "Emiya is fine, Saber. You know it, right?" Saber felt reassurance from his words. She had an idea about him right now, that the Archer and Shirou of this world were one, that he was still clinging into his ideals, was correct.

Meanwhile Lancer and Caster were locked in a duel of glares and curses. They know that some other servants had arrived, but they didn't really care about that fact.

"I can kill you in one slash!"

"I can turn you into dog!"

"I'm a hound, dammit!" Lancer swung his spear at Caster but Caster simply moved back and avoided his spear which then hit something beside them.

A loud crack resounded the room, alerting Archer, Saber and the other three servants. Lancer and Medea's fight were also interrupted as Lancer slowly looked to his right. The crystal was there., however, there was now a long crack on its surface. Lancer's Gae Bolg was sticking on its tip.

"Ooohhh, looks like someone broke something important?" Medea said and teasingly cackled, making Lancer growl at her, half-embarrassed at what happened.

"I-I didn't notice it was there!" he retorted, but then the crystal suddenly increased its intensity and a loud pop echoed.

The crystal exploded into tiny particle dust. The light that guided everyone had also disappeared. Lancers eyes grew wide, startled and clueless to what had just happened. "Wow, way to go Lancer. I didn't know you were such a klutz." Archer joined Medea, making the Hound gnashed his teeth in anger a them.

"I'll kill you later, Archer-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa friend. Let's not kill each other yet, not until we know why we are here." Winchester then stood between Lancer and Archer, stopping the two men from creating a bloodbath and starting another bloody Holy Grail War.

Lancer then turned to him and snorted. "Shut up, Clint Eastwood!"

"What…?" Winchester cast a confused look at him. "Gee, I didn't know that I was that handsome. Thanks." He winked at Rider, who raised his right brow, strongly objecting and disagreeing to every word that he said.

Saber, however, moved closer to the shattered remains of the crystal. She peered inside, curiously. There could be more than the crystal. There must be some clue at all. That crystal looks like it was designed to break. Saber recalled the first time she saw the crystal. It was shiny and clear and, if she could test it, very sensitive. And she was correct.

"That means whoever build it, it must've designed to break easily-hmm?" Saber brushed some dust away and her eyes landed on an object. It almost blended in with the shards of crystals, but it was definitely different. It had the shape of a snowflake.

"Everyone...I found something." Everyone turned to her as Saber held up the small snowflake crystal in the air. Saber felt the cold of the snowflake pass through her thick gloves. Now this...is magical. She then pressed the middle while wondering. The crystal then glowed a peaceful blue hue.

"Whoa…" Archer said in his breath. He was impressed with the snowflake. "What is it?"

"Hello," a light and jolly voice suddenly erupted from the crystal, making everyone almost jumped.

"It speaks!" Medea said, bewildered.

"If a servant that was summoned by the moon could hear me now...then everything is still on the right track." the voice said gladly as if the speaker was glad to talk someone after a very long time.

"Hello?" Saber responded, attempting to understand the voice more. "Uh...who are you? Are you our Master?" she asked. The crystal only glowed at her.

"No. It's the Man in the Moon who summoned you, all seven of you." the voice said. The servants looked at each other, puzzled. If the Man in the Moon had summoned all of them, then that would mean they only had a single Master. And that Master must have been very strong to summon all seven of them singe handedly.

"Where is he then, the Man in the Moon?" Archer crystal let out single thin light, which pointed at the opened domed ceiling, towards the moon on the daytime sky.

"The Man in the Moon is in the moon! Isn't that awesome?" the voice said, excitedly. All of them only looked at him, processing what he just said. "Aw, come on...Well, I bet all of you are still confused."

"You bet we are!" Iskandar said, irritated at the jolly voice.

"Since when did a celestial body become Master?" Winchester added and the voice answered them bluntly.

"You don't have a Master, because you heroes don't have any command spells anymore." Everyone looked at each other, dumbfounded and puzzled even more. A command spell was usually a tattoo that appeared in a Master's hand. It symbolised the servant's contract with the Master and through it, the Master could command them to do any task, regardless whether they liked to do it or not.

Never in the history of the Holy Grail War had a servant, to be precise seven servants, been summoned without a command spell.

"Wait...is this even a Holy Grail War?" Lancer asked, curiously. The crystal lay silent for a second and then responded.

"This isn't a War for the Holy Grail." The message had made everyone lost. Servants were used for the Holy Grail War. If this wasn't a Holy Grail War, then why were they here?

"What you're going to do, however...is to protect the Holy Grail." Everyone darted to the crystal again.

"Protect?" Saber finally questioned again.

"Yes. The reason why MiM had summoned you all is because the Holy Grail of this world is in danger. If it's destroyed, this world will be destroyed." Saber looked down, rattled. Back in her previous world, it was different. The Grail was corrupted, so she had to destroy it. But now, in this world, everything had changed.

"No, Saber, this world's Holy Grail isn't corrupted, rather it is the universe's prime life force." Saber looked down again, surprised. "Sorry, I can read your mind. In fact, I can read everyone's mind. You see, it's a perk I gained when I transformed myself into a snowflake."

"Enough with the games. Tell us the truth!" Archer shouted, irritated with the voice's comments.

"I am telling the truth, Archer...and I'll tell you more. The being called 'The World,' that created the Counter-Force which is the basis of Servant summoning system, and Man in the Moon...are the same person."

Archer took a step back, his eyes widening from the revelation. It can't be...he thought. The Counter-Force, which was a system created by the World in order to prevent the extinction of mankind, was here. That would explain why they were summoned here. Which could mean this world's war was definitely a dangerous one.

"Oh no...I talked too long." the voice said, panicking. "Don't worry, guys, I will explain everything tomorrow. For now...I think it time for all of you to take your sleeps."

"Oi! You mustn't leave us-!"

"I'm not leaving you all. It's just that I have a very limited amount of power. I have to recharge myself." the voice said gleefully at them. "This workshop has already prepared rooms for all of you. There's food in the fridge and you can access every amenity here."

"What is this place, some kind of Jesus Christ Camp?" Lancer whispered as Archer shrugged, cluelessly. "Wait…" Saber then asked, worriedly, as she watched the glow of the crystal slowly dimming. "Could you please...at least tell us your name?"

"My name is Jack Frost," Jack, the crystal, paused and then added. "And just like Emiya Shirou, I pledge to 'The World' to become a Counter Guardian. And without me, you won't survive in this world-"

And the crystal's light was gone. Saber felt all of the power drain away. She looked to the other servants. All of them were also displaying the same reaction. Mystified and confused.

Beta-read by Pure red Crane

Thank you guys for choosing to read this fanfic of mine. I am resuming this fanfic since I'd finished taking my board exam for Radiologic technolgist. And you know what I passed! I am now a certified RRT! Have fun reading my story!

Disclaimer: I do not own this characters! :)