[ unintentional video - a knight cannot save the world. ]

[regalbearing]

[ the video opens abruptly, with the sickening, wet sound of something being impaled. no. not something - someone. the sickening sound of metal piercing flesh, piercing right through with enough force to kill. ]

[ the image becomes clearer. it's dark. nighttime, as it was the last time the community spied on Saber's life. maybe even the same night. Saber flinches back from the sound, blood splattering on her face. not her blood. she opens her eyes - and looks shocked. horrified. the white-haired woman behind her looks equally as stricken. ]

[ and then it becomes clear what they're looking at. what caused their faces. caused the sound. Diarmuid Ua Duibhne - Lancer - stands before them, the same look of shock on his own face.

his red lance pierces his chest, and it is clear that he did it with his own hands.

there's a horrible, deathly silence. then Lancer breaks it with a wet, hacking cough, blood spilling out of his mouth to join that from his chest that already lies spilt on the ground. ]

[ out of the shadows, two shapes appear. one of them, a man in black; black suit, black coat, black hair. he looks calm about the whole situation. the other, a blond, injured man in a wheelchair, looks shocked. he carries the body of a red-haired woman in his arms.

the man in black - Emiya Kiritsugu, Saber's Master - speaks: ] Use your remaining Command Seals to force your servant to commit suicide. [ Saber gasps, looking even more horrified than before - revolted, even, by the words coming out of her Master's mouth. ] The conditions have been fulfilled.

[ Kayneth - the man in the wheelchair, Lancer's Master - looks pretty horrified himself by this point. and Diarmuid - he lets out this horrible, wet sound of pain and anger and desperation and despair, dropping to his knees with the lance still impaling him. ]

You want to win... You want to win so desperately? You desire the Grail so desperately? You have crushed... You have crushed my sole remaining wish... And you?! [ his voice raises, and Diarmuid turns violently, looks up at Saber with nothing but hate and accusation in his eyes - betrayed, in his view, by someone he could never have expected it from. blood has filled his eyes by now, and as he continues to curse her, Saber takes a step backward at how truly demonic he looks, as if his words are physically striking her. unable to defend herself, to explain that she had no part in this, that it wasn't her-- ] You feel no shame at all?! I will never forgive you. [ again he turns - casting the same terrible look on kayneth, with blood running down his chin. ] I will never forgive any of you! Inhuman monsters, who have ruined the honour of a knight, let my blood taint your dreams!

[ slowly, his lance begins to dissolve, the first signs of his fading from the world back into the throne of heroes. ] Let the Grail be cursed! Let the wish it grants bring disorder! [ he looks up at the sky, casting his rage into the heavens. ] And when you fall into the pits of hell, remember the rage of Diarmuid!

[ he fades away completely, and is gone. silence. everyone remaining is frozen in place, as if Diarmuid's words really had been cursed. all but Kiritsugu, who turns away and takes a few steps. ]

[ it's Kayneth who breaks the silence. ] Now the Geas binds you?

Yes, the contract is complete. I cannot kill you. [ Kiritsugu casually lights a cigarette, not looking at the other man. takes a drag, and--

a gunshot rings out. another one. Kayneth cries out in shock and pain. and the gunshots continue. again and again they ring out, coming from somewhere that cannot be seen through the community's viewpoint. eventually, Kayneth's wheelchair falls backwards; the woman's body is thrown dead from his arms as he tips sideways. ]

... Not myself, anyway.

[ Kayneth struggles pitifully on the ground, whimpering in pain and fear. the wheels of his abandoned chair spin uselessly in the air. the fallen Master tries to use his arms to pull himself towards Kiritsugu. wheezes: ]

Kill me... kill me, please...

Sorry. But I can't according to our contract.

[ it's the once and future king that answers the suffering man's plea. Saber steps slowly forward, her mouth a grim line, her face shadowed in more ways than just the literal. Excalibur shines in the darkness, as bright with its golden light as it had shone on the river. Irisviel turns away, covering her mouth - and Saber raises her trusted blade swiftly and brings it down with a definitive, wet sound. a clean cut. a mercy killing.

the wheel on Kayneth's chair stops spinning. Saber stalks past Kiritsugu without looking at him. and then, her voice level, but soaked with barely-contained rage and betrayal: ]

Emiya Kiritsugu... I finally understand what a terrible man you are.

[ the feed ends. ]

(( ooc: assume that all replies to this post from Saber ICly come a few hours later. ))

Comments

[text]

[unknownrival]

I am... so sorry.

[text]

[regalbearing]

... Issei.

So the community could not even see fit to spare us this?

video

[answerer_sword]

Lancer? Saber? W-what?

[Bazett can barely stutter out these words. Even not she cannot completely believe what happened.]

[ text ]

[regalbearing]

[ normally, Saber would respond to a video in kind. but the events of the night have left her drained, and angry, and seeing that the community has broadcast this moment - that it has put her shame and Diarmuid's out in public for anyone to see and laugh at - has left her unable to even consider her usual show of politeness. it's safer for everyone if she sticks to text replies, where her lingering rage and her worry over Irisviel, lying unconscious within the magic circle even now, is not so easily perceived. ]

Bazett. It is a long story, I am afraid.

1/2

[croibhristeoir]

[He'd stopped listening after hearing his own voice. Lancer wanted to hope that perhaps he'd been wrong; that such a thing wouldn't come to pass. Of course, if it was never going to happen, his abandoning the war would have been unforgivable. But he'd accept even being a coward over this alternative.]

[And even now, he felt a tightening in his chest as though it had been him specifically cut down in that moment. Yet that burning ache was not caused by any blade; no, he knew very well it was the same anger and hatred that so corrupted his other self.]

[Remember the rage of Diarmuid.]

[He slammed shut the book used to access the community at that, both hands pressed on the cover as though he feared it would play only that moment again and again if it were to open once more. Lancer ground his teeth together in a scowl of frustration...he refused to hate Saber. He couldn't in all good conscience hate Kayneth (though he did all the same). So where was he meant to direct this agonizing and frightening sensation?]

[I hate you for being so weak. How dare you stain the pride and honor of the Fianna more than you already have?! I hate you, Diarmuid--!]

[What target was left but himself?]

[croibhristeoir]

[Within the hour, Lancer had composed himself enough to respond; though the pen was unsteady in a trembling hand, he wrote as clearly as he could.]

Saber-

There is no circumstance in which directing such anger towards you in particular would have been justified. Although we have been enemies in some capacity, I trust you enough to know you would not have any hand in this. I will say that I am sorry. I will apologize a thousand times over, and yet it will not be enough.

Don't forgive me.

The last thing I deserve is anyone's forgiveness, especially yours. Perhaps you'll insist this is not guilt I need carry, as I was spared such a fate. If you are thinking so, let me correct you; you're wrong. My faults are more numerous today than they have ever been in the past, and there is no doubt in my heart that I am capable of such rage unbecoming of a knight.

I will accept whatever reaction you deem necessary: if you should wish to hate me or even ignore me outright, you will hear no complaint or plea for mercy from me. All I can do is try to express with all of my heart that I truly wish things had not come to this.

--Diarmuid

[text]

[anothersoul]

[She wants to speak but she can't. She's seen many horrors during her time fighting witches. Brutal murders, horrific accidents, suicides... Witches were horrible creatures but they only ever did feed on the darkness in humanity that already was there. They couldn't turn a truly innocent into a monster. This... it makes her stomach clench.

Who can she blame? Kiritsugu? The man in the wheelchair? Saber? Lancer, himself? No... She grits her teeth as she types. A faint memory, perhaps a thought from a dream, drifts upwards.

You can't ever be perfect--why bother? You have to create an ideal world.]

It's always disheartening to realize that the most cruel monsters are merely humans.

[Kiritsugu, she decides finally. He needs to go.] What needs to be done for a Servant to change Masters?

[text]

[regalbearing]

So it is.

... as I understand it, the Master would either have to give up their Command Seals willingly, or else have them stolen from them through some method. But I will not sully my honour further by breaking another oath. And in any case, Irisviel needs me. I care nothing for Kiritsugu, but I will not leave her.

Text

[smokepraylove]

A Grail was mentioned. It must be a hell of a cup to be worth assaulting an already crippled man.

What kind of war is going on there?

[regalbearing]

One with high stakes and precious little honour.

[anon]

[structuraldefect]

Such methods... these are completely inhuman.

[woah kirei calm down with those heart eyes there.]

[regalbearing]

My thoughts exactly.

[heavenlyhome]

Ah. So that is when... You are unharmed?

[regalbearing]

I am fine.

I am sorry you had to see that.

video - time for sunshine and rainbows

[fortheworld]

[...Oriko knows that kind of rage and betrayal. Not as bloody, perhaps, but it is familiar. Contracts and a Command Seal, was it? She can make the connections.

When she appears, Oriko is straight to the point.]

Are you alright? If you need any support at all, you only need to ask.

[...no-one deserved that.]

[ text because she doesn't have time for this sobbbb ]

[regalbearing]

I am... fine. Thank you.

1/2 video

[chuanifrinn]

[Now this is a sight rarely seen...

...well actually it's a sight that's never been seen, not in this lifetime.

In his previous life he had done this twice: once for Ferdiad and once for Connla.

He's crying.

Well he's not just crying, he seems to be suppressing the urge to bawl with rage.]

video

[chuanifrinn]

[Get ready for this because it's gonna be one hell of a roar and without any consideration for the household he's in:]

COWARDLY BASTARD!!! I'LL FUCKING KILL HIM!

( not here; SHRIEKS )

[effulge]

[ She wears her suffering well.

Such a heavy burden for such a small King; such a grand blow to her honor, to her integrity, to the ideals she so desperately clings to. Such a difficult path indeed, to serve a man who doles such ruthless tactics. A man, until now, he had held no true interest in. But, one might give acknowledgement to the tenacity that brought her closer to her knees in midst of conflict. One might appreciate the method, though it hardly sates the need to see the blooming of her fall - hardly wets the desire to witness it, to contain it - possess it. It hardly gives inkling of defeat - hardly gives anything of deeper substance at all, though she would be suited to be obtained before long. Before long, at all - and what more information he might hold of Lancer... A bonus.

Yet, there is nothing to be done in this moment. There is nothing that might be enacted, though the words are there and notched with purpose now. They're waiting, but there is much to discuss and much to withhold. There are other matters to attend to, before he might attend to them all.

There is only little time to go. ]

[dulacaun]

So that's a fate that Diarmuid avoided...

[ hey, saber, sorry about the headless lady. even without a face, though, she seems very shaken; there's a slight tremble in her shoulders, and her fingers almost fumble on the keyboard as she types. ]

But, that man... I can't say I know a lot about the Grail War, but he's probably trying to win at any cost, isn't he?

[regalbearing]

[ well, she... can't deny that seeing that gave her pause. but on top of being emotionally worn out already as it is, she's dealt with some strange things in her time, nbd. at least the headless lady is polite, which at the moment is a real blessing. ]

Yes. I am sorry that you had to witness it.

And if you are referring to Kiritsugu, I believe that that is exactly what he is trying to do.

[guardiss]

What a despicable person... No one deserves an end like that.

[regalbearing]

No. Indeed they do not, and I am sorry that I could not prevent it.

( voice. )

[lucific]

[ there is always sorrow written and bared in the movements of mankind. there is always a deeper and ineffable note of pain - the rising of consequence. in some, there is the engulfing tide of desire so strong it overwhelms everything.

he sees it here, in bits and pieces. he does not understand all mechanics of this place, but he knows what little has been given to him by the hands of others. what has been displayed for him here, and it takes a moment - in memory of what he has seen and what he has known. in echoes of this - he speaks, as gently as he always has. he has known her manner - how she fights. he has known how she carries her pride and the weight of her honor. he has known her loyalty. so, it is only this: ]

Saber.

[ there's a deep silence in him, even now. ]

( voice. )

[regalbearing]

[ almost, she considers resorting to text, the way she has done for all others on this post excepting the fool that needed to be quieted more forcefully. even she and Diarmuid - and she had been so determined, at first, that her apology should be in voice or images if not in person - had instead exchanged words through text, each not trusting themselves to speak to one another, not yet. she opens the window to type, but--

but, however briefly and however strange the circumstances, she had been Kaworu's sword once, and he her Master, of a kind. so even though there is no contract binding them and their partnership has long ceased, she still feels a measure of that same loyalty that she feels towards Irisviel. it stirs when he speaks her class name with that softness, not asking anything of her, the way others had (understandably) wanted to know whys and wheres and hows, demanding explanations and justifications that she felt compelled to give despite the stresses of the night still weighing heavily on her.

perhaps that's why, instead, he hears her voice in reply, soft as to avoid disturbing Irisviel. ]

Kaworu.