A/N : Sorry I've been on hiatus for a while. I have a real important public exam this year so I've been cut short on time to write. I've still been writing of course, just some shorts which I'm pretty unhappy with. Nevertheless, hopefully I can start writing more often by the time the exams end late November this year. Here's one of the shorts I hope you all will enjoy.

Note that all I know about the Worm serial is limited to fanfictions so I might be getting some powers or characters wrong.

DISCLAIMER : I do not own the Worm serial or the Fate series.

Dance of Spears

A hero. What was a hero? Was it someone with power, capable of saving lives? Was it someone who sacrifices him or herself, for the greater good? At times, Taylor Hebert thought she was a hero. Yet at times she wasn't. The Throne of Heroes though, had accepted her within their midst, and to this day she wondered why. The Queen Administrator shard had all but disappeared and for once, her mind seemed perfectly lucid and controlled.

She could still feel it reaching out, grasping at her mind, whispering sweet nothings into her ears.Take the power.Take it. And the consequences it will bear. But her mind held true and she resisted the sweet temptation of control.

It was several centuries later that she heard the call. The call that would ultimately end in a deal with the devil. The Holy Grail shined its wisdom upon her, the epitome of light and power showering her with another gift, another life, another chance. This time, the temptation she took.

The Holy Grail gave her the mastery of languages, the history of the world she had descended upon. At that moment, she could feel the blistering heat - and evil the goblet was radiating.

LIES It lies to live once more. The Negotiator shard tells her. Her eyes narrow. Angra Mainyu. An interesting 'hero' that takes the shape of the grail. She would destroy it.

"I ask of you, are you my master?" She speaks in perfect Japanese. The boy in front of her simply stares, terror and steel in his eyes. The Observer tells her of the threat and she responds in kind.

"I should have killed you earlier, boy." The man behind her starts, "I never thought you'd be a Master as well." Cu Chulainn. The Negotiator tells her. The hound of Culann. He who holds the cursed spear Gae Bolg. Taylor shudders in excitement. Finally, someone who could test her. A heroic spirt who might be on the same level as her.

"Who are you? I'm Lancer, if you haven't already known." He swings his spear masterfully as if to challenge her and smiles. The Negotiator scans him easily. Strong, faster than he looks. He is holding back considerably. Does not wish to kill innocents if possible. Possibly on a scouting mission.

"I believe my designation this war is Caster. It matters not." She calls out to the High Priest, willing her gift into existence. A spear, no a lance, decorated with gems and liquid metal. The Lance of Longinus, the Negotiator tells her. A Noble Phantasm. Immediately, the eyes of her enemy hardens and a bloodthirsty smile appears on his visage.

"I like you." They charge, and the sound of metal against metal rings throughout the clearing.

"You're strong for a caster." He compliments, dodging past her strike and swinging his spear for a cheap shot at her head. She moves out of the way easily, shoving him aside with practiced ease. Left, right, left, left. The Negotiator predicts easily.

"Fast too." He continues, his speed increasing in intensity every second until both their weapons were simply blurs of steel in the moonlight. A spray of blood. Then, as one, they jumped back, disengaging for a slight moment, their breaths easy.

"It seems that I have drawn first blood," he laughs. A shallow cut along her stomach closes easily using the Shaper. Taylor shakes her head, pointing at his sides.

"It seems that you are wrong." His eyes widen as he sees the wound, large cut from the tip of the Lance of Longinus. If anything, the wound invigorated him even more. His battle continuity is A rank at least to be unfazed by the damage.Bloodlust increasing. Gathering prana for an attack?

"A Caster who can go toe to toe with me even though I'm holding back. This war is interesting! Maybe it's time for me to show you what I can do." His Noble Phantasm. The Negotiator Shard warns once more. A strike that always hits the heart. An attack that defies logic. An unstoppable force. A plan unfolds. Taylor smirks.

"Your heart is mine! GAE... BOLG!" The dark red energy dissipates as Lancer thrusts his spear towards Caster. A second pass. Two. And then ten. Cu Chulainn stares in shock as the woman, the warrior in front of him speaks.

"That ability won't work on someone with no heart."

The Shaper nods in agreement in her mind. Just seconds before the attack had hit, her heart was shifted, mutated into something different. Thus was the power of mutation, of biology. Thus was the power of the Shaper shard. If she had nothing within her classifed as a heart, the noble phantasm would have had no target. An easy counter to an unstoppable skill.

The hound stiffens in fear. Or what seemed like fear. Rather, it was bloodlust returned, killing intent sweeping throughout the clearing as Lancer himself smiles. Annoyance is clear. Wishes to continue battle but is being called back.

"A worthy challenge. I will return another day. Until then my friend." The man disappears in a burst of speed, ten times faster than he was in the fight earlier. Definitely holding back.

This war was going to be easy. Too easy.

EDITS