The Einzbern preparations for the Fourth Holy Grail War had been going just as planned. They had obtained this catalyst many years ago, a true divine relic that could only summon one of the most powerful Heroic Spirits from the history of mankind. Combined with the intended Master, the pinnacle of their craft, there was no way that they could fail this time. In addition, she would be supported by her family, her maids… finally, it was their path to victory. They had taken extensive time to plan their course of action after the delay of the Fourth War due to the farce that had become the Fifth. To think, someone had tried to steal the Greater Grail itself… and met his end at the hands of the Tohsaka Family’s representative, body blown apart and burned to cinders. They had even lost one of the founding families with the death of Matou Zouken… But now, the grail would be ready, would it not? Except… It soon became clear that they were not the only ones who had been waiting for this day. To those who were present, the Ainsworth raid on the Einzbern mansion in Fuyuki’s forest had been a shocking, chaotic event. Dozens of empowered dolls led by the most powerful among the Ainsworth family’s magi descended on the mansion and begun their assault. In spite of the mayhem, it became clear their target was indeed Illyasviel von Einzbern herself. The ensuing conflict lead to the deaths of many of the Ainsworth dolls, but also the crippling of Emiya Kiritsugu and the loss of many resources due to the devastating attack. In the end, the Ainsworths had failed to obtain Illyasviel. However… They had claimed the ritual. Through careful manipulation, they had installed their own Masters, members of their family or others tied to them, in every available spot in the Holy Grail War. There was no way to obtain entry into the war, now, with all seven spots filled. Or so the Ainsworth Family thought… Soon they learned that the Einzbern, and the Tohsaka, were far more resourceful then they had anticipated, and the damage the grail had sustained all those years ago had allowed for even further manipulation of the ritual known as the Holy Grail War. Two teams of Seven Servants and their Seven Masters. The Great Holy Grail War. [hr] Avalon. The Holy Scabbard of King Arthur. The Everdistant Utopia that the King was said to wait in after his death, biding his time until the world needed him once again. The ideal catalyst for a Saber-class Servant. The Ainsworth family had also clearly been intent on capturing it for their own use, but they had been unable to locate it. For good reason. The Einzbern family had placed it somewhere it would be truly impossible to obtain by anyone else. Illyasviel von Einzbern had been able to conduct the summoning in a safe location, under careful supervision. Until she obtained her Servant, it was deemed unsafe for her to be left alone at any point. The Ainsworths were awaiting any chance they had to try and obtain the girl, after all. And so their backup location, the Emiya residence, specifically in a shack behind the home itself. It was an unlikely place for such a legendary figure to be called fourth, but it had proven to be an ideal location in the absence of the Einzbern mansion itself. And indeed, as expected, Illyasviel had conducted the ritual perfectly. Nothing had gone awry, and there had been no mistakes in the process. It was indeed just what everyone had hoped for. And yet… “Servant Saber, successfully summoned into this world.” The figure that had been summoned was not the man they had expected. Instead, a slender, beautiful blonde girl in an armored dress stood before Illyasviel. In one hand, she gripped a weapon cloaked in swirling air, hiding even its shape and length from sight. “I ask of you, are you my Master?” Indeed, Saber herself had been somewhat confused by her Master, just as the onlookers had been surprised by her gender. She had never expected to be called to fight in the Holy Grail War by what appeared to be a child no older then ten years of age. It was not long before she was informed of the truth of the situation, and the nature of the conflict she had been called to. It was an even greater battle then she had anticipated. [hr] [h2]The Tohsaka Household[/h2] The anticipation that had been built up was almost thick in the air. And yet, Tohsaka Tokiomi seemed as cool as ever, collected and confident as he oversaw his daughter’s arrangements for the war. It had been somewhat chaotic, arranging for the impending meeting between the seven Masters of the Tohsaka-Einzbern faction of the Great Holy Grail War. The decision to utilize his daughter as the representative for his family, rather then himself, had been a conclusion fueled by her position as his successor as the head of the family. This was an opportunity to showcase her position and her capabilities, as well as a crucial battle for their family, and indeed the remaining founding families of the Holy Grail War. The fact that the Matou no longer existed as a family of magi was regrettable, but that had been before his time as the head of the Tohsaka. By this point, his wife had been safely sent out of town, and out of harm’s way. Only himself and his daughter remained in the Tohsaka residence. Rin had performed an admirable job, taking to her position as one of the organizers for their faction quite well. Now it was simply time to provide her with the final piece required for a Master’s participation in the battle for the Holy Grail. The gem that would serve as the core of her summoning ritual. The instrument that would allow her to bring fourth a hero of legend, even if it was not a proper catalyst. The time it had spend storing up mana for all those years… Soon, the other Masters would arrive. Tokiomi knew the Einzbern had already called fourth their Servant, but he was admittedly uncertain about the others. Regardless, it was time. “Since everything is ready, Rin… I believe it is time to give you this.” He held up an elaborate, decorated box. Within was a large, crimson amulet. Everything had been prepared. Even if Rin waited until the others arrived to summon her Servant, there could be no denying that she would summon an excellent and reliable Heroic Spirit. As for the others, in some cases it would be the first time the Masters met one another. In others, they would recognize each other, or even lived together. Whatever the case, they were now allies against the Ainsworths in this Great Holy Grail War. [hr] [h2]The Ainsworth Workshop[/h2] For someone with the wealth of the Ainsworth family, purchasing an entire apartment complex was trivial. With their capabilities, the alteration of the interior to their specifications was even moreso. They had needed a base of operations, a territory in which they would be able to defend against even the most powerful assault by enemy Servants. The current family head, Delphine, had ensured that, to anyone unwelcome, the complex would be a deathtrap. Moving hallways, walls that could crush intruders, and a host of other features resulted in a deadly complex of rooms and hallways that any member of the Ainsworth family could rearrange through the use of Flash Air. It was a fortress not easily assaulted. But for the Ainsworth family and their allies, it was simple to navigate. Everything would simply fall into place before them, no matter what. Tonight was the overture of the ritual know as the Holy Grail War. They had hoped to shut out any interference, but it seemed that was truly impossible. The Tohsaka and the Einzbern, and their allies, had managed to access the ritual anyway, prepare to summon their own Servants. And so it would not be a simple matter to obtain their goal. Oh no, this was to be a battle of two teams of seven Servants and Seven Masters. A clash of heroes of the past. But that did not matter. All that mattered was reaching that distant goal that had finally come closer. No matter what, it had to be attained. The first to arrive had been Sophelia, the youngest child of the Ainsworths, waiting in the vast space that had been created as a meeting room. Clutching a stuffed doll against her slight chest, the little girl’s appearance certainly hid how dangerous she truly was. From birth, she was an unnatural prodigy whose existence shined like a beacon of Ainsworth magecraft. The others would arrive soon. Even if they had not all summoned their Servants, they would soon be ready. To wage the Great Holy Grail War. Sophelia, of course, was especially concerned with one specific goal of the family. The capture of Illyasviel von Einzbern. Ever since she had seen the other girl, she felt that, somehow, they were rivals. That it was her deepest duty to capture her and prove her superiority. It felt like a natural impulse, something she would follow no matter what. Not only that, but it was an important duty that any member of their faction was supposed to follow. It was only natural that she would be the one most likely to succeed. Delphine herself had yet to make an appearance, but she would as soon as everything was settled. She would stop at nothing. Her goal of all these long years was far too close for that. [@floodtalon][@Argonaut][@Rin][@KoL][@Avalon][@Kyoka][@Anza][@Red Alice][@PKMNB0Y][@Raineh Daze]