Even if the sun pursued him in dwindling dreams, it wasn't like he suddenly detested all things heat-related. Steam covered the air like a duvet blanket and he carded his hands through his hair. The bath water must've been near boiling and it felt positively chilling, while melting away his weariness.

If Vrushali had been here, with him, she'd undoubtedly be able to help him calm down. Listening to her poetry was quite relaxing. Cleansing himself was merely another option. So he bathed out of habit. There were just some aspects of his life he couldn't discard like his armor, and move on, like with the lack of options: accepting the lack of bottles available. Mordred must've squeezed out as much as she could. Only shampoo and soap remained. It wasn't like he blamed her though. He knew she liked keeping up appearances and he preferred simplicity to the lap of luxury in regard to living.

But washing himself could wait. He just wanted to soak and rest. Karna felt so drained of sunlight…would it be selfish of him if he wanted Mordred here to see her grin and let him embrace her?

Trying to think about this wasn't good but it wasn't as if he had a choice. When brought on, reminiscing was hard to dispel, even for him. Aside from Arjuna, and perhaps Krishna, Karna could confidently call himself one of his greatest enemies.

He just closed his eyes and let himself fall into some of his fondest, if not bittersweet, memories of his life.

This one is a familiar scene, if only because Duryodhana has consistently paced back and forth in the same area. Karna can see the imprints and makes a note to ensure it gets fixed eventually; he doubts the probability of being around to see it whole again.

In the deepest and empty room within Indraprastha's gleaming palace Duryodhana rages and rants where no Pandava or ally can overhear.

Today, this rant seems to be connected to Duryodhana's reputation.

"If I would mourn, it would not be for the kings, for the widows, or for the gods. I would weep for one man, and one man alone." Karna had watched Duryodhana be slowly crushed under the weight of Indraprastha as the time for the five Pandavas and Draupadi to return near as the sun changed positions, but always watching, for a long time. But it is not nearly enough. Never would it be nearly enough.

Krishna's cajoling and revelation has put Duryodhana in a terrible temper and Karna cannot blame him. But regardless of his current feelings on the matter—annoyance and anticipation—he doesn't talk out of concern and respect. It is best to let hot-headed people like his king to talk it out.

"You are more human than you think," Duryodhana says suddenly and whips around to face him, face alight with the passion Karna knows like the golden glint of his armor. "Would a spear choose to weep for my plight, after I vowed to fast unto death? And you pledged to never drink fine wine again until Arjuna would be felled by you?"

"I do not recall ever weeping." He refuses to let his friend lie on his behalf to make Karna appear to be better because it was true. He's too familiar with the penalty of lying to make yourself look good after his teacher had found out his true caste: a Kshatriya.

Duryodhana simply slaps him on the shoulder and laughs. "You know what I meant!"

And he does too, with Duryodhana; even the most complex of social interactions seems like a pleasant dream. If only he can be accompanied by his friend all the time…

"Something's troubling you," Karna says without attempting to keep his bluntness in check. If Duryodhana notices any attempts to soften his words, then he'd worry.

Duryodhana's scowl is fierce and leonine, proud and strong. "The Pandavas have returned from their thirteen long years of exile, as you very well know. They will want me to give them back the kingdom. And to make matters worse, they will likely demand that you join them as their eldest brother," he finished, sneering.

He knows a prompt when he hears one, most of the time. "And will you accede to their demands, to avert Kurukshetra from being dyed red?"

"That is quite debatable." Duryodhana laughs like a starving hyena, sharp and vicious. "But make no mistake, my friend. They mean to take back Indraprastha and usurp the world's gilded throne from my hands as I endure the shame of being bested—but there is nothing in this world that I cannot fight and win to keep you by my side. I know you, Vasusena. You are not a Pandava, you have not been nursed by their mother, you have not won Draupadi's favor, and you certainly have not been welcomed into their arms and called 'brother' by them. You are not a part of the deal. This I cannot allow!" His voice rises at the end and Karna cannot fault him for it.

Duryodhana's passion is wild as a proud lion; his voice, despite not changing in pitch or tone, seems to roar unyieldingly throughout the room.

"You won't?" Karna's eyebrows rise on instinct even as the warm sentiments burn along with his cheeks. It's been proven many times but to have someone who is not Surya who loves him is still strange.

Instead of responding to his question, Duryodhana directs a stern look at him, compelling Karna to relinquish his utmost attention. It is the charisma, many would say. But Karna cannot look away, cannot do anything but drag in bated breaths.

In a low tone, he says, "Are you worried?"

Karna reflexively looks to the side and Duryodhana exhales, coming closer to bring him in for a shoulder-hug. He is incredibly patient and Karna doesn't deserve his friendship, as much as Duryodhana refuses his refusals. As Duryodhana's hand rubs his shoulder in a reassuring gesture, he can't help but feel aching restlessness at the touch.

There will be a victor, he thinks, and I will be the loser. There are no other words that come to mind. He has given Duryodhana numerless things beyond the weight and value of the crystallized sunlight clinging to his frame: every feat made possible by all his loyalty and bravery. All Duryodhana had given him was a title and a kingdom and he has given his king the world. This, he will gladly do again and again till the universe became drifting stardust or till he returned to that soothing embrace of his divine father. But there are secrets, emotions, and decisions he will not burden Duryodhana with.

"I am not," he says finally. It feels like eating hot coals but he must.

"Suyodhana…would you have recognized the person I am now?" But he would, because Duryodhana wouldn't have ever decided to make him Angaraja if he couldn't. He tried to push his hair back again and succeeded. Then Karna sank until the water reached his chin only to wince as he accidentally hit the back of his head, reluctantly sitting up again.

Dwelling on these thing was becoming a bad, unwanted habit…

The bathtub was unfortunately suited for someone closer to Mordred's height so the back of his knees rested on the edge, leaving his feet free to dangle. With no small amount of amusement, he realized resting his elbows on the bathtub's sides made him feel as though he reclined on a throne. In all honesty, he would take this throne over any opulent one. Perhaps it was originally intended for the homunculi walking in this castle. On average, he supposed, they tended to be of the smaller, leaner variety.

But after recalling the memory, and how he spoke of her being remarkably similar to Duryodhana's primary traits, it was quite hard to think otherwise. Karna couldn't shake it off. Mordred was so, so, so very much like Duryodhana that it almost hurt to look at her, not that it would stop him if it did.

If Duryodhana was a proud lion than Mordred was a playful kitten.

Namely, how Duryodhana would read a new book as though he'd done so a thousand times whereas Mordred wouldn't hesitate to explore it, regardless of any bewilderment, partaking in entertainment before appearances.

The blinding difference was age and experience.

Atalanta had pulled him aside before converging on Yggdmillennia and divulged Mordred's true age. He'd been taken off guard, but in hindsight, it made sense. Mordred likely didn't seem to understand how pertinent it was, withholding it from the explanations back then. Did she honestly believe he would think less of her for such a reason?

There was also the matter of her parentage. In spite of her discretion, Karna had glimpsed the sprawling scars on her hands. He had no doubts that they weren't accidental or self-inflicted. If he ever obtained the fortune of meeting Morgan le Fay, he would be thankful for the opportunity to assess such a paradoxical woman for himself and condemn her summarily.

Her father was a more difficult matter. He explored King Arthur's legend in greater detail from the books available to him—through the Red Faction and Yggdmillennia's miraculously-undamaged library—and one of the most disturbing stories had been Arthur's attempt to kill Mordred as a baby on May Day. Though it certainly had no factual basis, it made him wonder what would have happened had the King been informed by the clairvoyant Merlin. Would he truly attempt to kill Mordred like in the story?

In the end, King Arthur was a loaded subject and from the way she talked about him, it was likely that even Mordred couldn't be completely sure if she loved or hated him.

With that settled, he turned to the allies they found.

Both Jeanne and Vlad were easy enough to understand. Stalwart in defending their religious beliefs to the point of causing their deaths.

Darnic was untrustworthy and unstable at this point, so much that Karna knew he could snap at any moment.

Gordes was, despite his guilt and arrogance, a good man but in need to be reminded of that fact.

The Forvedge siblings were fundamentally ill-suited to be mages, disregarding their obvious skills at tactics and magecraft respectively: neither of them were truly willing to follow their craft to the end.

Chiron was an excellent teacher and paternal figure and yet his ruthlessness unsettled Karna.

As for Astolfo, he was good-hearted, if lacking in any kind of sense when off the battlefield. In short, he had obviously been known as a fool in life.

And when it came to Sieg…

Karna understood without a doubt that Sieg was different from Siegfried. How could he not? It would be akin to deeming Mordred to be merely the sword arm of King Arthur. But Sieg's beginning circumstances were similar to his, having been born with everything taken from him and struggled to live even now.

Even though he had sworn to fight with Siegfried again he had pressing matters to take heed of first. It did not matter in the slightest how Siegfried was the first to kindle his interest. It took a mere glance for Karna to tell that Siegfried was someone who granted others' wishes. Though disheartening, Karna thought it commendable for Siegfried to die fulfilling his own wish. Truthfully, it gave him hope that his own wishes might be granted.

All Heroic Spirits participating in this Holy Grail War were all unique. His allies were comrades and his enemies were warriors of commendable valor. Even Shakespeare was worth respecting through the sheer amount of his heart and soul he poured into his work.

Aside from protecting Mordred, Atalanta, and Achilles from Amakusa Shirou's needless if undeniably generous salvation, he would like to rescue the rest of the Red Masters. Cumbersome it may be but he wouldn't deny this one urge of altruism...even if it was more like the right thing to do.

Well, Mordred would be inclined to agree with him, in spite of her own doubts on the matter. She excelled at being a knight—traditional chivalry notwithstanding—thanks to her good heart and pure love for her country, no matter its changes.

They already commenced with Kairi, anyway.

Most of the tenseness from sore muscles were gone by the time he finished. Although he was in a much better mood from when he woke up, he wasn't eager to get out but his hands were starting to wrinkle.

While toweling off his hair he heard a soft knock.

"Uh, Lancer…it's me, Sieg. Are you busy?"

"I'm not. You came at a rather convenient time." Karna kept drying his hair. "Is something troubling you?"

"Sort of…ah, the Forvedge siblings want to talk too. But they got sidetracked with getting something. They said something about finding some deactivated golems that Caster of Black hadn't destroyed."

"Oh?" Karna felt his eyebrow raise, finally pausing. He couldn't recall any reasons why both siblings would want to talk to him, excluding Caules's status as his new Master.

"They'll probably be here after we're finished tal—agh! Sorry…I didn't mean to spring it on you. " He heard feet shuffle in an apology.

"I understand stress can go a long way in making a fool of oneself. In that case, you needn't worry about it," Karna called and Sieg's shuffling ceased. "Please, come in."

While he heard the door open and close, he hung up the towels, deeming his hair more damp than soaking, and shrugged on his shirt. Though he left one towel around his shoulders to cover for any droplets. Karna finished buttoning up as he exited the bathroom, steam crawling out along the floor.

Sieg had taken a seat on the edge of the bed, bouncing a knee up and down, hands interlacing as fingers wriggled nervously. All in all, his anxiety shot through the roof. He watched Karna drag a chair over to him and settle, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees.

"Is there a certain topic you'd prefer to start with?" Karna said when it was clear Sieg couldn't bear to keep eye contact with him for more than a few seconds.

He kept averting his gaze as he responded, "I don't really know, actually. Saber just told me to talk to you."

Karna refrained from sighing. He didn't mind this at all but it'd be a little nice of Mordred to at least tell him in advance.

His eyes fell to Sieg's command spells, fully expecting the guarded gaze.

"I believe it wouldn't be wrong to assume this is about Saber of Black and the homunculi?" He switched to Sieg's face, to see the nod, and ran a hand through his hair.

"Then allow me to explain. As much as I desire the chance to cross weapons with Saber of Black, I simply can't. There are more important matters to be concerned with." Karna watched Sieg cease playing with his hands. "The two of us made a promise to fight to our hearts' content once, but that would only be satisfied with one of us dead, and it is not as though Rider of Black and Ruler or Mordred would allow such an outcome to materialize."

Although he found a fierce joy from fighting on the field, a spear to be wielded and released from the obligations of being born a charioteer's son, there was a greater joy to be found in making the people he cared forcontent.

"Oh, that's good to hear…" Sieg trailed off, relief showing in his sagging shoulders. That was promising, he was actually listening to what Karna was saying, "but there's something that's been eating at me, even though I get why. I'm a homunculus, and yet, you treat me like a person. It's because of Saber of Red, isn't it? She'd despise you if you treated homunculi like objects."

"On the contrary, Sieg. It is not easy for homunculi—or self-aware fabrications of living beings, to grasp life and freedom. I admire it, to be honest." He doubted Mordred would even consider him and her as friends, or allies, should he have disregarded homunculi entirely.

Sieg's eyes widened, leaning forward. "Then...why?

Karna smiled softly. "Whether homunculi or human, it matters not what they are. It is a given for Heroic Spirits, more than mere conduct. Every one of you are the futures we heroes strove to keep aloft, treasures in every way possible; for that reason, we are merely shadows of bygone eras."

"About that…" Sieg looked down at his knees, "Ruler mentioned something earlier that was bugging me; there's apparently a rule Heroic Spirits have to follow to count as such, 'the dead cannot rule the living.' I don't know why, but I can't quite bring myself to agree with that idea."

"I don't expect you to. That rule isn't as connected to Heroic Spirits as you might think."

Sieg looked up at him in surprise, "It's not?"

"Rather, it's a piece of philosophy that several Heroic Spirits come to hold while in the Throne of Heroes. The essential idea is that we are already dead. Perhaps not in the sense that our beliefs foretold we would be, but dead in the sense that we left our material bodies behind. Therefore according to many of our beliefs, it would be considered wrong, if not blasphemous for a dead man to try and improve the state of the living for the very reason that you must be alive to truly understand the living."

"So what you're saying is that there's no ironclad rule?" Sieg looked hopeful. "Heroic Spirits aren't restricted in what they can and can't do?"

"I see it was the apparent lack of freedom that bothered you. To answer your question: no. The freedom of Heroic Spirits is unrestricted in that context, except morally. There is nothing truly wrong if a Heroic Spirit doesn't follow that idea, apart from the possible conflict that could arise with fellow heroes who do follow it, such as Ruler."

"It's…strange...but I feel reassured." Sieg swallowed. "You see, if possible, I want Rider and Ruler to stay with me after Amakusa Shirou is defeated. I don't want to experience life's apparent pleasures without Rider. I've practically been with him the whole way, and Ruler's presence is reassuring." He blushed, a soft pink like the coming dawn.

"That may be difficult, especially for Ruler. Did she not say that she's possessing a human?"

"Yeah," Sieg sighed. "But it's the only plan I've been liking right now. Toole and Althea—my fellow homunculi—have been helping, but it's not enough."

"I can understand your sentiments," Karna replied, and admitted, "I wouldn't be opposed to living a second life with this new family I've been adopted into. However, it would be less of a hassle to make that a reality with Servants not using possession as a medium for materializing."

"Human incarnation, you mean?" Sieg asked. "Do you think we can bring this up to the others?"

Karna nodded. "Perhaps all of us can find some mutual ground in suggesting human incarnation. It isn't as though we have particularly disagreeable members."

He very much doubted the possibility of Darnic or any other Magus besides Fiore, Caules, or Kairi getting their hands on the Greater Grail. Not if Vlad and Jeanne had anything to say about it.

"But I wouldn't keep your hopes up too high," Karna continued. "We must defeat Amakusa Shirou and his Servants first."

"Yeah, I understand."

Silence reigned afterward and Sieg resumed fidgeting. Karna just adjusted the towel on his shoulders, waiting for the homunculus to spit out what he obviously wanted to say.

After a moment, Sieg blurted, "Thank you!"

"It was not a problem." Karna dipped his head. "Of course, now that the matter is settled, I'd like to know about the Forvedge siblings wanting to talk with me."

Sieg looked at him for a moment, uncomprehending as though he had forgotten about them. "Ah…yeah, that's right! Caules needs to speak to you about something…something important, I think."

"That's hardly surprising as he is my new Master. I take it that he wants to establish our relationship?" Recalling the bits of actual information from Mordred's vigorous recount of her battle against Frankenstein, he understood that Caules now commanded someone close to the Servant who killed Frankenstein.

"I guess so," Sieg said, scratching his head, and got up. "But I should go—to get out of your hair and give you some privacy."

"No, that isn't necessary." Karna raised a hand. "Regardless of the topic of our discussion, it will not be something that is needed to be kept private. In any case, I'd prefer to ask you a question before you leave."

Settling back into his seat, Sieg tilted his head in confusion as he looked at Karna. "What is it?"

"At the time that you became Rider of Black's Master, you possessed three command spells, is that not so?"Sieg gave a hesitant nod. Jeanne and Vlad had taken it upon themselves to lay out the situation in its entirety during their tour. It concerned him, to say the least. "However, within the same time frame Rider's former Master had already used all three of her command spells to order her Servant to kill you."

Sieg flinched at what must be a traumatic memory, paling, but Karna went on, refusing to lose the momentum of this potentially-important conversation.

"Furthermore, Saber of Black's Master had already used all but one of his command seals in an attempt to inflict damage on Achilles, so…" he trailed off, hoping that Sieg would reach the same conclusion.

Thankfully, Sieg quickly caught on, raising his hand so that they could both see the black command spells. "So, why is it that I received three command spells when only one hadn't been used for Siegfried?"

Karna nodded solemnly. "The Grail couldn't have registered your ability to transform into Saber of Black as a new Servant, since none of the special abilities or equipment that both Rulers possess considered Saber of Black to truly have died. Rather, they registered him in a state of limbo. However, if the Grail registered you or something in your control as a completely new Servant, it would likely consider you as the closest thing that Servant has to a Master and grant you the three command spells."

Sieg's eyes widened in shock as the enormity of this implication hit him. "But-but that would mean that there's a seventeenth Servant!"

Karna's voice remained cool, despite Sieg's panic. "Yes, or a passable facsimile to fool the Grail itself. If there is such a Servant, I can safely say that it is not yet active since usage of your command spells haven't caused it to respond in any way. Nevertheless, you should approach Ruler about this possibility, and keep her advice in mind."

"Her advice?" A look of confusion crossed Sieg's face."You mean her instruction not to use the final command spell?"

"If you do so, it will certainly rouse this Servant from its slumber and we will not be able to predict what will happen next."

A sharp knock cut off Sieg's reply. He flinched.

Karna felt the slightest amount of annoyance over the timing of this interruption, but judging from Sieg's distraught demeanor, it would be best to let him calm down.

This…was not a calm situation. Sieg became the recipient of Fiore's are-you-kidding-me look several times as a neutral party. In turn, Caules surprisingly looked to Karna for his support. Karna wasn't entirely sure his new Master should be desiring advice from him, considering his lack of familiarity with healthy brother-sister relationships.

"Caules, for the last time, please stop misunderstanding my resolve! If I truly hated killing people then I wouldn't have joined the Holy Grail War, something I hadn't wanted to participate in, with the very real possibility that I would not live to see the next morning on my shoulders."

"Then what about the aftermath if Amakusa Shirou's faction gets defeated? When—if Darnic's still alive, he won't hesitate to mow down anyone who's not named Fiore, and he'll expect you to act like him. That includes killing me!"

"That is a risk I'll have to take. I'm not going to kill my little brother over a wish and I'm going to do what I think is right!"

Karna was inclined to believe that protecting Caules wouldn't become a liability in regard to aiding the team. Although, they seemed to be forgetting still that Darnic was outnumbered by several beings stronger than any Magus, past or present. But it never hurt to be safe than sorry; perhaps Yggdmillennia's remaining members may think it opportune to coerce Fiore into marching to their beat.

"Look, I can get behind a noble goal like that but this is a situation bigger than the both of us. Bigger than a Magus's values."

"Caules. Are you telling me to stand aside? To step back from everything? That's impossible and you know it!"

"Fiore, you—argh! My Servant is incredibly powerful! The only Servants he'd run into trouble with are Assassin and Rider of Red, and even then, he wouldn't go down so easily. Archer's good, but not that good."

"You're forgetting something. Lancer's mana consumption is more than just draining. Even if he doesn't have his armor anymore, the quality of your magical circuits lead us back to square one." Fiore's hesitation was quickly swamped by rising confidence. Squaring her shoulders, she continued, undeterred, "Caules, I am a superior Magus, no matter how you put it in a different light. I am confident in my abilities and resolve. Are you telling me that you don't trust me?"

"That's—" Caules stopped and buried his face in his hands, breathing in deeply, losing his momentum.

"...Lancer, what do you think about all of this?" Fiore asked without looking at Karna. She was gripping her armrests with white knuckles.

"Your honesty is appreciated," Karna begun and glanced at Caules. Caules shrunk under his steady gaze. "Even if you are uncertain in this crusade of yours, your resolve is commendable, to say the least. Having said that, your brother fails to be honest. I believe you have been withholding something," he said, not unkindly.

"...that's right." Caules looked to the side.

"I wouldn't say that siblings are meant to complement each other, but this is certainly the case where you two have the opportunity. Should you not work together in harmony through your strengths instead of your weaknesses?" Karna decided to get straight to the point. "Though you may not have summoned me, you are now my Master. I must ask you, why do you desire the Grail?"

Caules lifted his head and pursed his lips. "...well, originally, I had no real desire for the Grail and my command spells just showed up one day." He looked down at his marked hand throughout his explanations. "That doesn't mean I don't have the desires of a Magus, but what's the worth in wasting a wish when it'll just come true for your family in a hundred years' time? I'd probably just bring back my sister if she died during this war." He looked up at Fiore after finishing, looking uncomfortable.

"Caules…" Fiore spoke softly, looking almost ashamed of herself for her own perceived selfishness.

Before she could say anything more, Karna raised a hand and motioned for Caules to continue. "But now, Master? What has changed?"

Caules swallowed nervously. "Well, then I summoned Berserker and it struck me just how different Servants are from how we remember them. Mary Shelley's book did say that the 'monster—'" disgust coated his tone, "—was surprisingly well-spoken, but that didn't prepare me at all for Berserker."

A flash of something hard formed in Caules's eyes as he continued, "And it's not just Berserker! Saber of Red is nothing like the typical Mordred, Archer of Red had cat-like features, Spartacus was utterly insane even for a Berserker, and Jack the Ripper was a little girl!" Having realized that he had started shouting, Caules coughed into his fist, trying to regain his composure. "In any case, I know that the Great Holy Grail War is supposed to stay a secret, but I want people to know the true people behind the legends." His fists clenched. "I don't want what happens during this war to be meaningless, not after I killed Berserker. No matter what happens, I want this War to be remembered!"

Karna closed his eyes in understanding. "I see. You have no interest in the Grail itself, but rather the conflict that arose from it. I can see why it chose you to be a Master. Very well, I acknowledge you as my Master. From this day forth, I will serve as your spear."

Caules's smile was hesitant but earnest.

Karna allowed him a few more seconds before adding, "Although I will ask of you to consider how some pre-existing relationships have me in a predicament, when you give orders."

"That's fair," Caules said, after pausing. He stuck out a hand with the other adjusting his glasses in apparent nervousness.

"You have my gratitude, Master," Karna replied after shaking hands. It was rather odd that Caules was technically the first Master he had spoken to in person.

Fiore had been scrutinizing her brother as she said cautiously, "I realize that you aren't in the same position as I am so parts of my criticism aren't well-grounded." She drew in a deep breath. "I'm, I'm sorry for my words earlier. I have been too harsh, and ignoring your own mental state, as well."

"I'm sorry too—I'm just so worried," Caules confessed. "I might be an idiot sometimes and as my sister, you still look out for me. Sometimes I forget to show my appreciation and come off as some ungrateful moocher. It's just—Fiore, I don't want you to lose anything else."

"I feel confused." Sieg turned to Karna. His voice dropped to a whisper and even shielded his mouth, but the Forvedge siblings were preoccupied. "Is-is that how reconciliation's supposed to happen?"

Karna glanced at him, taking in the utter bewilderment. "What manner of reconciliation did you encounter to make you think otherwise?"

Sieg could only splutter. As though he regretted broaching this subject.

Thinking back on his reaction to his thoughts on Astolfo and Jeanne, Kana understood the cause. Even though he hadn't let it slip, Sieg clutched Karna's arm beseechingly with a pained face after he regained control of himself. "Can you forget I asked at all? Oh—hold on—actually, can you help me out with something? It's...it's important."

"I believe I'm not as fati—" Sieg pulled Karna along, unheeding of Caules and Fiore's weak objections.

Aside from strategically-placed lamp posts, moonlight bathing the slumbering garden was their only source of light. Benches had been moved to the side and Karna and Sieg stood in the middle. A thin veil of sweat clung to Sieg's face as he lifted the sword again in a two-handed grip. One of Karna's hands supported his shoulder while the other guided him to hold the sword diagonally, pommel almost brushing Sieg's cheek.

The sword in question was a zweihänder, a sword with qualities more suited to a polearm, thanks to its larger size and weight, but Karna considered this one to be an outlier. Almost six feet long, close to eleven pounds, and still not enough to match Balmung's measurements.

Sieg had explained on the way, that he'd been having problems with his limbs. At random intervals, he would struggle with walking or anything requiring movement. He hadn't talked about this to anyone else and though Karna could respect the reasoning behind it, this situation called for any debilitating knowledge to be given out.

I half-expected them to shift into Siegfried's body at any time, he had added. It was worrying; as though Siegfried's heart was trying to adjust to this new body by altering bits to better suit a robust dragonslayer, not some fortunate homunculus.

"Even if you let go?" Sieg's hands trembled.

"Even if I let go," Karna agreed. "It isn't as if you'll be sparring anyone right now."

"…alright." Sieg set his jaw and Karna took his hand off his shoulder.

A second later he grabbed Sieg's elbow to prevent him from following the zweihänder. It wouldn't do to have Sieg break himself instead of the enemy.

"Damn…" Sieg gritted his teeth, breathing hard. Karna grunted as Sieg's knees buckled, catching him by the waist. "I let it hit the ground...again. I need to at least be able to avoid that outcome."

Karna shook his head. "An hour and a half ago, you couldn't even hold it up. Consider this as an improvement. If it continues, you will be able to handle heavier swords without straining your wrists."

Tearing his eyes away from the zweihänder to Karna, Sieg murmured a half-hearted acknowledgement before stilling, looking pensive and conflicted.

Karna's curiosity rose with an eyebrow.

Sieg stared at his chest, ruby eyes firmly fixed where the red stone was buried, even if his shirt covered the exact location. Ever since he peeled off the golden armor formerly fused with his frame, it appeared that the red stone was now the best in enthralling others with its sheer luster.

"Is that from your father too?"

He looked down, where the stone should be, as an afterthought. "Most likely. I cannot remember a time where I did not have the stone; it may be a blessing or simply something given to me as a baby. In the end, it does not matter as it is like wearing a necklace." Karna abided by the sudden urge to not tell Sieg about how Surya had a similar stone too; he was not quite sure why, but it was eerie, so he gave in.

Sieg accepted the explanation with a small nod, wincing as Karna helped him up and over to the nearest bench. He rubbed his legs; they quivered and twitched from the strain.

"I guess this is all I can do for tonight," he stated, dissatisfied.

Karna had gone back to pick up the zweihänder, sheathing and setting it aside on a table. He crossed his arms as he stood in front of Sieg.

"If the Hanging Gardens hadn't been sighted in its return to Trifas, then I would've liked to start sparring lightly," he said, more to himself, "but any progress is better than…" Karna trailed off when Sieg bit his lip. "Something is troubling you."

"I swear this is the last question, Lancer: this is sort of out of the blue, but, uh, have you ever hated Surya? I mean, I know he's your father and all, but…"

Karna could only open his mouth and close it when no words came to mind.

Sieg's cheeks didn't redden though he did hang his head in remorse. "I'm sorry...it's a silly and rude question I know. You don't have to force yourself on behalf of my curiosity."

For once, Karna was at a loss for words. If only Arjuna could see him now, his famed tongue sharp as arrows stopped by what basically amounted to an infant.

If Karna took his time in examining Sieg's facial features, he could definitely pick out some similarities to Siegfried. Should Karna be placed next to Surya, observers would compare the two as possessing different color schemes, sans the third eye and two extra arms. One could call Siegfried Sieg's parent though brother would be more apt and both still fell into the "savior" comparison. Both saved Karna and Sieg when they were merely infants and they strove to not let them down.

"Certainly…Surya is fond of me," Karna began. "Otherwise he never would have informed me of Lord Indra's ruse to deprive me of my Kavacha and Kundala." And therein lay the problem: Surya had gone to so much trouble to protect him from Karna's sunrise to his sunset. It was more than just a boon to his deeds, it was proof of his status as Surya's son. Karna's physical resemblance meant nothing; disowned children were still of the same blood. Truly, Kavacha and Kundala set him apart from the Pandavas.

Arjuna was an exception, and would always be an exception.

He covered his mouth with a hand as Sieg responded. "Didn't he leave you to your fate when your chariot became stuck in the ground?" There wasn't any nausea present and yet he felt an urge to purge his stomach. It must be the realization of becoming Kunti's son if he had nothing tying him to Radha and Adhiratha or Surya that made him sick to his stomach.

It took him a few moments to steady himself. "You may not understand this, but gods aren't always able to interfere, especially when it comes to things such as fate." Sieg was lucky in that regard, being able to control his own fate once he was given some assistance from Astolfo, Siegfried, and Chiron.

Sieg blinked in confusion. "I thought that only applied to Greek Mythology, but you're an Indian demigod, aren't you?"

"Correct. Having said that, Surya was already going against the wishes of several gods when he warned me. Had he actually directly interfered by saving my life, I have no doubt that there would have been serious consequences for the both of us." Karna frowned. "Sieg, I was under the impression that you are still a newborn homunculus. How are you familiar with my legend? Did you read up on it at some point?"

Sieg opened his mouth and seemed to shudder at the question and he rubbed his arm instantly, as though he tried to play it off as merely being cold.

"I—" he stopped as a look of confusion crossed his face. "I can't remember where I heard it, I wouldn't even know where to start researching your legend, but now…" he trailed off, lost in thought.

Sieg lost his concentration when they heard Astolfo's loud voice go: "Why are you guys in the garden? It's past midnight! Master, you need to be resting!"

They exchanged glances before Karna sighed and said, "We will figure this out at a later time. Please try your best at not worrying about it."

"Don't I look cool, like some grizzled old guy?" Mordred asked, puffing up and resting her hands on her hips.

"The coolest," Karna said, arms crossed, his back to a lamp post. Everyone else had more or less congregated around Sieg, still seated at the table. Jeanne had a worried look on her face; Sieg had been telling the Black Servants about unforeseen repercussions from Siegfried's heart.

"Yes!" She threw her fist into the air. "I told you they'd like the eyepatch! In your face, Rider!"

"No fair! Karna doesn't count, it has to be someone random!"

"Rider, did you get into any trouble?" Sieg asked, interrupting their squabble.

"Ah...not really," Astolfo responded as he rubbed the back of his head. "You know, if you're going to be training, you should try running with her! She's really great at sprinting long distance. Morry and I just ran together earlier."

Karna sidestepped to avoid the bolt of red lightning. Astolfo yelped as he was chased, zipping all over the garden.

"Say that to my face! One more time—I dare ya!"

"What? Calling you 'she' or Morry?"

"Both!"

Jeanne took the lull as her chance to question Karna.

"Wouldn't Archer be a better choice for teaching Sieg?" Though Chiron took over, Jeanne kept a hand on Sieg's knee as she looked at him, suspicious.

"...I'm actually fine with him teaching me," Sieg said.

"I understand, but you are still recovering." Jeanne didn't look away.

Did she believe him to have nothing but ill intentions for Sieg? Ridiculous. Karna allowed himself to be bound by dharma as a Heroic Spirit for penance for his past transgressions; he was slightly annoyed that it was quite difficult to express it.

"Forgive me, Ruler, but I felt that these lessons needed to be imparted onto Sieg as quickly as possible. Regarding that, we may need to hold a meeting to discuss a possibly important issue." Jeanne's stare didn't waver as she seemingly determined the validity of his words before it disappeared in resignation.

"What issue do you want to talk about, Lancer of Red?" she asked.

"I suspect that Sieg is harboring a seventeenth Servant in some form." He heard Chiron mutter a quick "Truly?" before continuing to look over Sieg, who bit his lip. Karna could admire his professionalism when it wasn't directed at Achilles.

Jeanne's hands tightened. "Ah, that is…"

To his surprise, Vlad was fairly interested in his words. "It certainly sounds important, but it will have to wait until we are able to gather all of our forces together." Karna inclined his head in acknowledgement and Vlad continued, "Jeanne, do recall how I suggested a similar meeting this morning."

"I wasn't disagreeing with him," she said sternly.

Meanwhile, Mordred had finally managed to get Astolfo in her grasp.

"It was a term of endearment—you know...nicknames for friends!" he got out as she put him in a headlock.

"Who the hell ever said we were friends?!"

As Mordred tried to throttle the life out of Astolfo, Sieg took the opportunity to get Karna's attention.

"Thank you," he said, "for putting up with a novice like me."

"I assure you, it wasn't a problem at all."

"Still, you've could've been resting now. So let me entertain you next time." And then Sieg smiled, half-exhausted, half-eager. Even though his smile seemed

Karna didn't have to turn around to see Mordred's sudden alarm as her grip went slack. Or Jeanne's frozen face, or Vlad's ardent desire to be anywhere but here, or Chiron's fond exasperation. Astolfo's wild laughter was more than enough.

"That is unnecessary," he said quickly. "We are allies, so it's only courteous to aid you, and I believe this would be the best opportunity to tell Rider and Ruler what you harbor toward them."

"That isn't what I had in mind," Mordred hissed into his ear after Sieg stood up. "What the hell is he talking about?"

"Only a realization," Karna said simply, finding it best not to confuse her with the entire explanation.

"Rider, Ruler, I need to tell you both something." Sieg pulled Jeanne along, over to Astolfo, and joined his hand with theirs, much to Jeanne's surprise and Astolfo's amusement, and said unwaveringly, "I want to thank you, for all you've done. Because you both gave me freedom, that's enough for me to continue living. So, because I can't put it into words, I want you to use my body to thank you both!"

"Well, when you put it like that, I can't argue with you, Master!" Astolfo grinned and threw his arms around Jeanne and Sieg's necks to bring them in for a hug. "Awwww, I'm so glad you're starting to do what you want!"

"Oh," Mordred said and lowered her hand.

"H-huh?!" Jeanne's red face put tomatoes to shame as her jaw opened and closed, unable to form else. "Sieg, I-I don't...understand."

Sieg's face and voice were completely earnest. "There's nothing confusing about us. I just want us to be together and experience what life has to offer. There's no way that I could imagine my life without the two of you."

"He's right, you know!" Astolfo managed to get out when he wasn't laughing.

Chiron just smiled when she looked to him in panic for help since Vlad seemed preoccupied with disassociating.

"Truly, Ruler? I had you pegged as a devout Catholic as I don't recall polygamy to be practiced in the Bible," he teased. "I'm pleased to see that some things remain the same, no matter the era."

Jeanne waved her free hand furiously in denial. "I-I assure you, it's nothing of the sort! This is all a huge misunderstanding!"

Astolfo untangled one of his arms to poke Jeanne's cheek. "It won't be a misunderstanding when you join us," he cooed.

Karna thought he could hear the silent scream coming from her.

"Hero of Charity!" Jeanne yelped and broke free. She escaped to Karna, grabbing his hand and covering it with hers. Appealing to him with overflowing panic, she said, "I ask of you to please take my place!"

Karna could only stare. Jeanne had come off as a resilient and cool-headed woman to him. The Heroic Spirits in this War seemed to run on contrary appearances and personalities.

"Lancer of Black, you look like you've died and gone to heaven, only to be disappointed." Chiron gave Vlad a concerned look.

"...no," he said. "In fact, I would rather your analogy be altered. It does not do justice to what my eyes are witnessing. These heroes..." he muttered. Indeed, Vlad looked like he had just met God, only to have everything he knew about his religion debunked.

Karna didn't need any additional time to consider the request.

"You asked, and so, I shall fulfill your request," he said. "Naturally, I am the Hero of Charity; that has not changed."

"Je remercie le Père…" Jeanne drifted over to a bench and held her face in her hands as she sat down slowly.

"...that's kind of lame." Astolfo made an appropriately-offended face. "But, hey, I'm not complaining." Turning to Sieg with a grin, he asked, "What about you?"

"Well—"

"—huuuuuhhhh?!" Mordred yelled, vein popping in her face, as she blocked Karna from moving anywhere else. Throwing her arms out, back to him, she glared at the snickering Astolfo and confused Sieg.

"Uh," Sieg got out before shutting up at seeing her murder them with her eyes.

"Over my dead body!" she shouted. "The only worthy people who are allowed to woo Karna are Atalanta and Achilles—and none of them are here."

"...but you didn't include yourself in that list," Sieg said slowly.

Astolfo could only laugh. "Come on, Master! I thought you knew better than to butt into other people's relationships, especially Morry and Karna's!"

"I'm afraid I've no idea what you mean." Karna tilted his head after grabbing the back of Mordred's collar. "But you are right in one aspect. Mordred and I are indeed in a relationship."

A daring grin splashed across Astolfo's face. "Have you guys slept together yet?"

"Rider!"

"At least twice." Karna's addendum of "For napping, and the relationship isn't romantic in nature" was drowned out by Jeanne. Perhaps he should had led with the second part.

"Please! Stop! Talking!" Jeanne shrieked, drawing up her legs too, as if it would help. Chiron scooted closer to pat her on the back.

"Yeah, I'd say I'm great in bed." Mordred smirked—even though she just slit her throat—knowing full well that she just poured oil on the fire. Karna supposed that messing with Astolfo was a different matter than Sieg's declaration. Giving Karna a wink lent the theory solid evidence. "I can sleep for days."

When Vlad managed to recover from the burdensome duty of dealing with rambunctious Heroic Spirits, he strong-armed Karna into clarifying the relationship between him and Mordred. Then he made them go back to their rooms for the night as he rubbed his forehead.

Though he could still hear Rider's loud voice as he closed his eyes, like some specter.

("Well, I assumed it was okay!" Astolfo said. "Since Karna uses 'she' and 'her' so I thought Mordred liked both!")

A/N: Some people have PMed me as to why why I made Karna's cape so fluffy, so I guess other people might have those questions too, and it's because I see a lot of Team AKA [Achilles, Karna, Atalanta] fanart on pixiv and artists like to use Karna's cape as some blanket. For some other clarification, the only pairings will be Astolfo/Jeanne/Sieg (but it's really background), Semiramis/Shirou (the only pairing I didn't dislike), and platonic Achilles/Atalanta (hate it more than Sieg/Jeanne, as an indication of my spite).

Anyway, probably won't be posting multi-chapter stories on here till it's finished on a03 due to formatting issues and how incredibly irritating it is to post on here.

nick1012: I was gonna update later in May to make the wait a lil less inconsistent/shorter but then I saw your review. I love Achilles too my guy, and I'm saving up my SQ for him after Ramses drops in Camelot. Tangent but I basically read Fate/Apocrypha's light novels for him a few years back since the Iliad is one of my favorite epics. And same, I only have Mordred and Atalanta currently.