[center][h1][b]Interlude IV[/b][/h1][h3][b][[/b][i][b]Mountain Stars I[/b][/i][b]][/b][/h3]
[h3][color=7FFFD4][b]Ruler[/b][/color]([color=7FFFD4][b]?[/b][/color])
? ? ?, ? ? ?[/h3]
[/center]

Fuyuki was one of the port cities that greatly benefited from the opening of trade with the west. It had grown rapidly after the start of the Meiji era, becoming a city with nearly five hundred thousand souls contained within. It was a third the size of Tokyo. After a few hours, the dust finally settled. The storms final aftereffects ended. And it became absolutely clear that-

The beating heart of Fuyuki had been destroyed. No, that wasn't right. It was gauged out in a single moment of naked force. The cursed fire was gone, surely. However, the center of the city contained within the foreign district, parts of Miyama proper and the commercial district had been smashed by an entire world.

Not only that. But a wild storm had been released on the city shortly after, which could destroy even a Servant. How could wooden buildings, let alone people, survive that? A storm to end all storms had turned practically all of the urbanized parts of Miyama into wild land. The outlying areas with sparser population had survived, along with nearly all the native district- though flooding in these parts did get bad. Even the river itself had turned against Fuyuki, overflowing into the city wherever it could've.

It was no surprise that the death toll was already at one hundred fifty thousand. This number, surely, would raise as time went on. If the destruction had occurred during the day, many more would have died- but thankfully, that wasn't the case. Survivors from Miyama were being ferried across the river and being set up in various camps. The largest were in Shinto proper, the Railyards, and the Eastern Farms.

This truly was a disaster at the national level for Japan itself. But, that wasn't the end of it. At the crack of dawn, the city nor its refugees allowed even a moment of rest. Within an hour of suns first light, a great earthquake occurred- the shocks from its power felt across both Miyama and Shinto. At the very least, there was only minor damage done to the infrastructure of what remained in Fuyuki.

Irrelevant of how little damage it caused, the fact it occurred at all was a more than ominous start for the day.

However.

A plain parchment found its way to each and every master participating in the war- delivered by Lesser Ruler. Signed by Greater Ruler, it contained a simple yet almost war shattering offer.

[hider=Greater Rulers Letter]
[color=7FFFD4][i]"Destroy the culprit who caused yesterdays tragedy, and receive [b]two command seals[/b]."[/i][/color]
[/hider]
[hr]
[center][h1][b]Interlude IV[/b][/h1][h3][b][[/b][i][b]Mountain Stars II[/b][/i][b]][/b][/h3]
[h3][color=#71213e][b]■■■■■■■■[/b][/color]
Near the Coast, Riverside[/h3]
[/center]
[center]


[i]It was[b] dark[/b], wasn't it?

In the first place, someone with [b]poor eyesight[/b] couldn't see very well.

This was [b]night[/b] after all. 

So if someone were to [b]trip and fall[/b] in the river, that was expected too.

The result, of course is endless terrible [b]injuries[/b].

This [b]man[/b] had all of them and more.

Part of his ribcage missing. Part of his skin missing. Part of his flesh missing. Part of his [b]sanity[/b] missing. 

Was that why this man was floating down the river, eyes glued to the [b]sky[/b] above him?

No. It was [b]worse[/b] than any of that.

Part of his [b]heart[/b] missing.

. . .The look on his face was one of a [b]destroyed[/b] man.

[b]Someone[/b] removed from normal humanity. 

[b]Someone[/b] isolated.

[b]Someone[/b] alone.

Someone,

        [b][color=ed1c24]Lonely[/color][/b]

I think, in that moment [b]I[/b]-[/i] 
[/center]

His body was, naturally, paralyzed. Not only had he experienced enough damage to shock his spiritual core, the various poisons of the river began to affect him. Tesla was in a vulnerable position where 'even a mouse could kill him'. That was a misnomer, of course. A servant could never be killed by a mouse, or 'normal' human. If this carried on, he would wash out to sea and be carried away. Most likely, he would die. A Servant could not maintain their existence after losing a limb, at least not a normal one. 

Just cuts was never enough. But losing a limb was a eventual death sentence to any normal servant. He was utterly immobile at the moment, unable to even properly form coherent thought to contact his master. A shared perception with his master was impossible for the moment.

So, of course, it was only natural.

Tesla never reached the ocean on his own. After leaving his so called 'Lover' behind for quite some time, something unsightly appeared. 

The [color=ed1c24]Thing[/color] had Great Horns, that would certainly remind him of the dragons of so called mythology. Its skin was scaley and of a darker hue, though it was difficult to make out much more at night.

What was more relevant-

In its mouth, a partially devoured human head dangled. Its face was twisted into utter horror. They had most certainly died of some nameless insanity long before they were made into food. 

But judging by the size of the [color=ed1c24]Things[/color] claws, it was no scavenger.

Put simply, it was a '[color=ed1c24][b]Monster with the Authority to Devour All Heroes[/b][/color]". 

[color=#71213e]"▂▂▂▂▃▃▃▃▅▅ ! ! ! ! !"[/color]

An inhuman screech that would've caused even a Servant to cover their ears.

And then-

For a moment, they must've locked eyes. Its glare was inhuman and draconic. Its tail swished for but a single moment, while it unfurled bat-like wings. It happened at the speed of Servants.

It leaped forward, head still in its mouth. It lept for him. The [color=ed1c24]Thing[/color] came for his life.

With such speeds a normal human wouldn't even notice the event taking place, it tackled Tesla into deeper into the water. For a moment, its claw like nails seemed to embed themselves into his torso. Flesh was ripped into ribbons. 

But.

The river was swelling, seemingly out of nowhere-

The Fae Storm that followed the shield. The endless wind and lightning and hail that could kill even a Hero. The storm was pushing them both out to the ocean-!

Quickly, the pair became a twirling ball of claw, robotic arm, pink flesh, and peerless scale. It was like a ballet of Death.

But.

The [color=ed1c24]Thing[/color] seemed more concerned with its own survival, and not its new morsel.

It seemed like, perhaps, once more, fate had intervened to save Archers life. If that magical storm hadn't came, he would've died. That was the last thought he had.

Because in the end- 

Tesla blacked out, seemingly sinking further down into the ocean.

[@floodtalon]
[hr]
[h1][b]Day Three has Begun[/b][/h1]