[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/A9Vw6CK.png[/img]
[h2]The Battlefield[/h2]
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[hr]

The Emperor had opted to be quiet, slightly annoyed at Airi's language, but her appetite at least explained it. He would be quiet and listen. Others present wished to speak, but not revealing much of his personality was prudent. There was, after all, something he disagreed with that his Master had implied. Her words of alliance were ones he respected and approved of, but they were pretexted on the condition of mutual interest. And as Emperor, of course he knew that not all men were trustworthy. All the same, he would not undercut her words by objecting. 

Being quiet paid off. Another self-announced servant was Chi You, over there was Assassin in a nice suit, and the Einzberserker had some kind of hideously dangerous pet in the river. That was valuable to know. Avoid the river!

[hr]

[i]Escape.

Grab her, get to safe distance from the impact.[/i] The Emperor snatched at Airi, his B-rank Agility parameter hauling her into his arms before he took off running. With his strength, lifting her was no problem, though the abrupt scoop was sure to be disorienting. The Emperor, thankfully, had looped his arm under her own, using his other hand to steady her head. The sheer whiplash from his speed, otherwise, could have endangered her. [color=tomato]"We move, Lass!"[/color] [@SIGINT] 

It was as if a meteor was raining down at them. Danger mobilized his body, and this time around, he wouldn't have his Master snatched away in a moment of shock. Ruler's alarm was barely heard as he prioritized immediate evasive motion. 

The Emperor was forced to be serious, and he dropped all pretenses of discretion, thoughts focused on strategy. Priority 1 was getting Airi to safety. If possible, other Masters also needed to be accounted for. There was no guarantee the city was safe either. They were in these fields, sure, but houses weren't far off, and something that large would be visible from an enormous distance. 

[color=tomato]"The city isn't safe either!"[/color] Nothing that enormous, a literal castle crashing down from the sky, was concerned with hiding itself. Other magi and the priests aligned with Ruler would be, he wagered, immediately prioritizing secrecy and cover-up. After all, the Grail's imparted knowledge made it very clear to him how vital the secrecy of magecraft was. So it was a safe bet that they had already begun moving to action.

Either way, the only option was to get their Masters away from it first. The meteoric castle was changing, as a glance behind him indicated. No, not changing. Activating. It now resembled a giant insect, with an exoskeletal armor. And in the instant of that glance, the Emperor felt like a tornado was forming. Not one of wind, but a cyclone of mana, swirling at the eye of the storm, now glowing under its plating.

Piston-like arms of the castle's towers guzzled more and more fuel, while swatting at any who lingered close enough. He hoped that those among them who didn't need to safeguard their Masters would be prudent enough to try and disrupt the activation.

The Emperor had actually shifted from civilian discretion to drawing upon his available energy supply, but this had not changed his appearance. After all, the clothing had been given to him. It was part of his legend, part of his Saint Graph, now. There was no reason to expend the effort of manifesting his actual Servant attire. Which admittedly made his analysis of the situation a bit surreal. [color=tomato]"If it needs to draw in that much mana... a siege, then!"[/color]

[center]Norton grinned.[/center]

Like a coal-fired steamship, it needed a fuel supply, and an inner system to make use of the energy, let alone provide mobility. With such a monstrous size, and especially given how his own energy supplies had been threatened lately, he had a plan. [color=tomato]"The Masters just need to be safe, then we can besiege it."[/color]