DrowsyPangolin

Fate/Empty Providence

Ernest LaCreux

Eastern Field

Ernest's eye visibly twitched as Chi-You proudly declared her true name to all in attendance. For a moment, the reserved necromancer stared at her in utter bewilderment, the veins at his temples bulging. He looked to the ground for a moment, his fingers tapping mercilessly at the head of his cane. This was problematic, very problematic, a huge concern even. He cursed himself silently for not having considered this. Of course she would come barreling in like a freight train. She had proven she had a mind for tactics, but she was a warrior first and foremost, and a proud one at that. The magus let out a sigh and quietly poured a glass of wine from one of the bottles Ruler had provided. He had initially planned to refrain from partaking in the refreshments, especially the alcohol, but things had changed. He took a long sip from the glass. It was wonderful wine, and he needed it at the moment.

Letting out a sigh, Ernest looked toward Airi, struggling to understand her burger-impeded speech. Eventually, she managed to overcome flame-grilled difficulty. Ernest nodded to the girl taking in everything she had to say. “Oh, right, yes. The Thrall from the Church was one of mine.” It seemed the girl was not too fond of the undead. That was normal. It would probably be easier to count the number of people who were fond of the undead than to count those who were distinctly uncomfortable in the presence of things that by all rights shouldn't exist. With that out of the way, the girl introduced herself. “Izumi Airi, a pleasure to meet you.” He pondered just how true those words were. Strange as she was, at least they were on the same page. “And Ernest is fine.”

The magus watched and listened as the meeting began to unfold. It seemed their hasty plans of dealing with the Black-Haired man were doubtful to work. That wasn't all that surprising. How were they supposed to defeat something they knew nothing about? Ernest took another sip of wine. A few others had shown up now, a blue-haired fellow and his Servant, and the Servantless Master from the Church earlier. The latter began speaking with Airi. It seemed the War had not been kind to the young man. Airi stressed the importance of working together, of cooperation. It seemed she wasn't a cutthroat.

Ernest leaned into the conversation. “She's not wrong.” He spoke to Nakae while motioning toward Airi. “We're better off cooperating than not, at least for the moment.” It wasn't as f he hadn't considered the possible benefits of a few Masters or Servants being defeated in their attempt to stop the Black-Haired Man, but cooperation still took precedent, mostly because the Magus wasn't sure any one team could defeat that enigma on their own. He glanced toward Airi. “I'd be careful with that line of thought though. Relaxing around these people might prove dangerous. There are plenty who wouldn't hesitate to betray a 'friend' if it means they get ahead in this War. Really, you both should be cautious.” Ernest honestly wasn't sure why he was giving them such advice. Any Master or Servant that died only served to forward his own goal, still, unnecessary bloodshed didn't particularly suit him, and these two were scarcely more than children.

The discussion of the Black-Haired man continued. Another plan had been put forward to catch him, but it seemed shaky as well, especially once the suggested location for it proved to be another dead end. The strange Archer suggested the key was discovering the interloper's motivation. Ernest pondered for a moment. “Is it not possible that his goal is summoning the Grail? Perhaps his motivations are not too far from our own. Killing Lancer would make sense in that case, and since he is not a participant in the Grail War himself, taking a Master might allow him a chance to use it, if he could find a way to control the kidnapped Master... or perhaps take his Command Seals, though I'm not sure such a thing is possible.” 'Possible', at this point, seemed to have a very uncertain meaning.

@Holy Grail @SIGINT @Yukitamas @Moonlit Sonata @Everybody

Fate/Empty Providence

I'll get another post up sometime later today.

Fate/Empty Providence

Ernest LaCreux

Eastern Field

Ernest approached the gathering at the Eastern Field alongside Chi-You on foot. The magus had instructed his Thralls to link up and return to limousine to the house near the cemetery a few blocks away. He had no real desire to make the vehicle a target for any of the others, and bringing the Thralls along seemed in bad taste. As the pair of them approached, Ernest was a bit surprised by the pleasant nature of the meeting. It seemed Ruler had taken care to make things as comfortable as possible, and the refreshments would probably help to ease tensions. After all, they were all on the same side, temporary as it might be.

Others had already arrived by the time the duo reached the field. Some were familiar, most notably the enormous Rostam and his Master. There was also the noisy girl who had been at the Church, and what appeared to be her Servant. Many were making introductions, or at least making some attempt to socialize. Ernest looked a bit out of place, dressed in the same neat, black suit as always, cane in hand. Following the introductions of a few of the others, the necromancer gave a slight bow. “Greetings. My name is Ernest LaCreux.” Hiding his name was impolite, but also practically pointless. It was only a matter of time before someone pieced together his relationship to the undead puppet that had been at the Church earlier. He looked toward Saber, making no attempt to introduce her. He imagined she would prefer to handle that herself.

Ernest's gaze swung toward the noisy girl's rather odd-looking Servant as he described the dangers of the Black-Haired Man. The magus knew nothing about the eccentric fellow, but whatever Heroic Spirit he was, it seemed that he had been easily outmaneuvered by the mysterious interloper. It seemed the encounter with Lancer hadn't been a fluke. As Ruler replied, the magus nodded with a grim expression before speaking up. “Yes, this 'Black-Haired Man' killed my Servant in the forest on the edge of town last night.” There was no point in hiding information. “In a span of seconds, he killed Lancer. There was no fight. Whoever... or whatever that thing is, he was able to take down a Servant without any trouble, and with his bare hands no less.” One of the other Servants expressed a lack of knowledge regarding the individual, and denied any connection to him. That was to be expected. Even if one of the participants was trying to sabotage the War, it wasn't like they would make that fact public.

Ernest took a place next to Airi and her Servant. Of those present, they, and Ruler of course, were the only ones present that he could be certain had absolutely no hidden connection to the Black-Haired Man. “If we are to deal with this problem, I believe we must first find out where this 'Black-Haired Man' resides. As the two encounters that have been had with him already illustrate, the element of surprise gives him a powerful advantage. Perhaps, if cornered, he could be more reasonably dealt with.” Ernest looked around at the others. It was the most basic of ideas, but it had another purpose. “I don't know that we have any means to track him, and luring him out seems both dangerous and uncertain, as we can't be sure what exactly it is that he's after. So, perhaps the first step should be determining where he is not.” He straightened his posture. “I would imagine a magus would know if he were hiding in their territory. For obvious reasons, I wouldn't ask anyone to disclose their bases of operations, but you must know of them, right Ruler?” He turned toward the overseer. “If we can determine that this man is not working with anyone present, then wherever he is hiding must be outside of any of the Masters' established territories.” It wasn't much, but perhaps it was a decent starting point.

Fate/Empty Providence

@Holy Grail Alright, will do.

Fate/Empty Providence

I was going to let @Holy Grail get a post up before I posted with Ernest, but I can post earlier if needed.

Fate/Empty Providence

Ernest LaCreux

Ernest nodded, listening to Chi-You's advice on the matter. At her suggestion of impending tragedy, he merely nodded with a grave, but determined expression. “Oh, I'm well aware of that. I assure you, I am prepared for whatever misfortune might lay before us, but... having said that, I am willing to risk anything for this.” In truth, as far as he was concerned, there was little risk involved. This would likely be the only opportunity he would ever have to achieve such an impossible thing. If he failed, he would be no worse off than he was before... well, perhaps he would be dead, but that wasn't too far off from the husk of a person the last few years had turned him into.

“But on to our plan. Of course we will want to avoid drawing too much attention, so ideally we should strike decisively. Perhaps we could find a way for you to lure this Servant away from his Master, and then I could have my Thralls strike while she is unguarded.” He thought for a second. “But location is important as well, maybe if we-” Ernest felt a faint buzzing in the back of his head, a sort of 'alert' from the Thrall at the Church. “One moment.” He closed his eyes, transferring his consciousness to the puppet.

The conversation between Ruler and the newly awakened female Master sent a shiver down his spine. He wasn't the only one who had been attacked by that thing. As they spoke, he was already drawn towards the thought of removing that empty abomination. It only made sense. As much as he tried to portray the stoic aristocrat, some part of Ernest was still the emotional young man he had once been, an that thing had very nearly crushed the only hope he had. The idea of vengeance was one he was already fond of, but if the other Masters went out too, they surely would have a better chance at crushing that thing. The idea was cemented with Ruler's declaration. There would be a meeting to discuss the interference in the current War.

Ernest opened his eyes. “Chi-You, I'm sorry to inform you that our plans have been postponed. Ruler has declared that all of the Servants are to meet in the Eastern field at sunset to discuss a strategy for dealing with interference in the Grail War, that is, a plan to remove the third-party who killed my previous Servant.” He looked toward the Tyrant, gauging her reaction. The prospect had to be a bit of a letdown for her. “Masters have also been invited, and I plan to attend, as I seem to be one of the few who has directly interacted with this interloper. We are forbidden from targeting the other Masters and Servants in any capacity for the moment, though perhaps this meeting will allow us to view the competition in greater detail.”

Thrall Un

The Church

The Thrall listened intently to the conversation between Ruler and the noisy young woman who had just awakened from its position by the Church's door. The figure nodded silently, as if agreeing to the proposition, before speaking up in Ernest's typical fashion. “We shall certainly attend, Ruler. I'd like to see this... problem dealt with as quickly as possible.” The Thrall bowed before turning toward the door. “Until then, adieu.”

The puppet made its way out of the Church and back toward the city. It didn't seem to be heading toward Ernest's house, but rather to some random location. It still traveled at a casual speed, drawing very little attention to itself as it strolled along.

@Holy Grail @Moonlit Sonata @SIGINT @Beloss @Cu Chulainn @Errbody In Earshot

Fate/Empty Providence

Ernest LaCreux

Ernest's Limousine, Eastern Fuyuki

Ernest considered Chi-You's observations on his tactics. Once again, she was proving herself to be much more considerate and careful in such matters, but that was to be expected. The magus nodded, acknowledging the vague nature of his plan. “Of course.” He pondered for a moment. “For a location to stage our assault, we'll need to find some place secluded. Really though, it depends on the route our target takes. I'd prefer not to fight in a residential area if we can help it, but if such a thing proves necessary then perhaps we can commence our attack from an alleyway or a rooftop. If they are not in such an area then we have more options open to us.” The mention of the forest led the man to grimace. “I recommend we avoid the forest however. If we are to encounter the man who killed my previous Servant, he will require our full attention, and though I'm not sure that his base of operations is in that forest, I think we should avoid it until we are fully prepared.” The magus seemed to puzzle over possibilities for a few moments. “As for Ruler, so long as our attack is outside of the Church grounds, I doubt that he will have any complaints.” Chi-You's mention of her famous countryman brought a slight smirk to the magus' lips. “Ah yes. I began reading The Art of War many years ago, a shame I never finished it.”

The tyrant's bravado in response to his question seemed appropriate. Of course she yearned for the battlefield. When she turned the question back on him, however, his expression became grave. She continued on, telling him of her wish. It was reasonable, he supposed. She wanted another chance at life, an opportunity to test her limits to their fullest extent, and to experience everything this strange new world had to offer. For a moment the magus felt uncomfortable under her stare. The direct sincerity and honesty with which she spoke was such a change from the endless scheming and poorly-painted flattery of magi and aristocrats. When she continued on to why she had answered his call, however, Ernest looked up, meeting the tyrant's fiery gaze. He had never really considered his own drive to succeed in such a way. In that moment, though, he realized their motivations were not so different. The aristocrat had been seeking to conquer something as well, to strive all his might to overcome a singular obstacle. All those years experimenting, all those endless failures... They had crushed him again and again, but that frail husk of a person had still continued. Even if his hope was gone, he still pushed onward. His sister had once called it 'insanity', but Chi-You's description of a primal drive seemed more fitting than madness.

Ernest nodded at his Servant's sincerity, and for the first time since their meeting a light appeared behind his empty eyes. “I believe I'm beginning to understand.” His voice was not that of a stuffy aristocrat now, no, for the moment all pretenses had ceased. “You've told me your desire. It's one I can identify with, if you can believe that.” He felt a burning in his chest, as if something had awoken from a long sleep. “My goal is one of conquest as well, though not quite as material as yours.” He looked away for a moment. “However, I do not fight out of fear of losing something... rather, I am fighting to reclaim something I've already lost.” He looked back to Chi-You. There was an obvious distress in his expression, a mix of sadness and anger. “No, not 'something'... someone. I have no reason to hide my intentions from you. I intend to use to Grail to perform a true resurrection. Not paltry necromancy, all that can create is a husk, at best it can create something vaguely human, but it can never reconstruct a person just as they were.” His tone was sincere. In any other situation it might have been embarrassing. “I will use the Grail to achieve a goal beyond possibility: the conquest of death. I will restore the woman I love to this world in body and soul.” His expression turned deathly serious. “To a great ruler such as yourself, I suppose the restoration of a single life may seem like a trivial matter, but my reasons for such a thing are twofold. Obviously, I love my wife dearly and wish to see her again... but...” His voice shook for a second. “Someone once told me that the only destiny open to me was loss, that I would lose again and again, and that my efforts could never overcome that absolute.” The creaking voice of that wretched old woman rung in his mind. He shook his head and looked at Chi-You again, speaking with conviction. “That is something I cannot accept. If such a thing is an absolute, then it is an absolute I must overturn. It is an impossible enemy that must nonetheless be destroyed.”

The magus took a deep breath. “And that is why I have come this far. That is the origin of the desperation you spoke of, and that is why I cannot... will not, be defeated in this War.” He nodded, adjusting his tie. “Together we will achieve our goals. When this is over I will have crushed any obstacles in my way, impossible or no...” He looked to the tyrant with an expression of solidarity. “And I will drink a toast to your accomplishments in this modern world.”

@Holy Grail

Thrall Un

The Church

The Thrall gave an appreciative bow as Ruler answered his questions, still evidently connected to his master in some way or another. “Much obliged.”

As the others began speaking up, though, the Thrall backed away toward the entrance of the Church. It seemed one of the other pairs was not content with asking their questions in front of such an obvious informant, thus, having been advised to avoid any and all conflict for the time being, the Thrall retreated to relax any possible hostilities. Still, it picked up the conversation that followed. It would have been difficult not to, considering the mighty voice of the massive Servant. Without any hesitation, the Heroic Spirit had revealed his true name.

Top priority. Take Note. Forward information immediately.

Shortly after, a newcomer entered the Church. The Master seemed to be the same young man the Thrall had noticed on the street earlier.

Take note.

The Thrall remained in the Church, beside the exit, quietly observing the situation. Remaining there after his questions had been answered was an obvious attempt at gathering information, but such was his task. Still, if asked to leave he certainly would, as overstaying his welcome was a troubling possibility. The Thrall's eyes were trained on the newly arrived Master though, with far more focus than those dim, dead eyes were capable of.

@Holy Grail @Moonlit Sonata @Yukitamas @Beloss

Ernest LaCreux

Ernest's Limousine, Western Fuyuki

The survey of the city had continued with little success. The search for an enemy base of operations had been mostly fruitless so far, but that was fine. The Thralls had done their work considerably well. The magus smiled slightly at the developments.

“Well, it seems my Thrall at the Church has uncovered some interesting information. Apparently the Grail only requires that seven Servants fall. I'm not sure how many have been summoned in total, but my earlier conversation with Ruler made it seem like the number would easily pass the standard limit.”

The magus closed his eyes, nodding to himself.

“Let's see... two pairs were at the Church, one Master and Servant left without me being able to gather much information... but the other.” Ernest looked surprised. “The other Servant revealed his name right there on the spot. Rostam, the great hero of the Middle East.”

Ernest looked toward Chi-You, obviously puzzling over something.

“Such a Servant would surely be powerful... but that might be a good reason to deal with him now. Besides, if your wish is for a challenge, such a man ought to give you one.”

Ernest shut his eyes again.

“There's another Master as well. It seems he's lost his Servant, but has no intention of leaving the war. The Thrall is watching him as well. There's a chance he could be useful.”

Finally, Ernest switched his consciousness to the dove. A frown crossed his face.

“As for the Temple, something is most certainly there. Numerous bounded fields were present, and I felt as though the bird was being watched. As for who or what that something is, I can't be sure, they were wise enough to hide themselves rather thoroughly. As it stands, confronting that Temple directly won't end well.”
He looked out the window, considering their options.

“I'll send the bird towards the Church as well, so we can find the route Rostam and his Master are taking and set up a position for our ambush. In the meantime, I think we should head in that direction as well. They are still talking with Ruler, but who knows how long that conversation will take.”

@Holy Grail

Dove Thrall

The dove made one last circle around the Temple before veering off in the direction of the Church. Whatever secrets the Temple held, it would keep them for the time being.

@Moonlit Sonata

Fate/Empty Providence

Ernest LaCreux

Ernest's House, Near Foreigner's Cemetery

Ernest nodded at his Servant's observations regarding scouting. “I see your point. I shall send the dove to the temple and see what sort of information we can glean. As for familiars, you may consider the birds... and any other simple constructions to be wholly expendable.” Such Thralls were a dime a dozen, the simplest tool of a necromancer. “If the bird is destroyed I can find more, so general surveillance should be possible without many problems.” He already had a plan to replace the scouts, and judging by the current state of the War, he would need as many as he could get. With that, Ernest closed his eyes, murmuring something to himself. Outside, the dove Thrall left its roost on the house's roof and set out in the direction of the temple.

The next bit of advice caused Ernest to raise his eyebrows slightly. Had Ruler not told him everything? He supposed it was possible, given the bizarre circumstances of their last meeting. The thought of sending out one of his pre-constructed Thralls for such a venture didn't sit well, but information was key, and if the possibility was there then it needed to be explored. “Right then. I can send a Thrall out to the Church as well. No paper will be necessary.” Ernest tapped his cane on the floor and the Thrall that was not currently distracted by making breakfast entered the room. The figure wore a red hooded jacket and a black scarf, concealing much of its face. The magus placed his hand on the puppet's head, again murmuring to himself. The Thrall nodded, pulling its hood further down and exiting the house.

Finally, Ernest turned toward his Servant, shaking his head. “Don't misunderstand, King of War. I do not intend to make a crutch of your judgment, I simply know where my strengths lie.” His explanation was somewhat stuffy and mechanical. “For the moment, we shall survey the city, checking spots similar to what you mentioned, and see if we can uncover our enemies' whereabouts.” The remaining Thrall, which was clad in a similar outfit to its 'brother', entered the room carrying two plates. One, it gave to Ernest, who quickly, yet with a sense of elegance, began eating. The second plate it held in front of Chi-You, as if offering a second chance at accepting its cooking. Upon closer inspection, this Thrall was female, if such a thing was important given its state. Ernest continued. “Between us and the two Thralls, we will have three vantage points with which to observe the city. With that many eyes, we are certain to find another Master and Servant...” He looked at his plate with grim expression, and he was silent for a moment. “If I had to guess, I'd say there are likely several pairs that will go to the Church today. This is dependent on what we see today, but...” He looked up at Chi-You, his eyes cold and resolute. “If one of those pairs is unfortunate enough to not leave before nightfall, we will confront them on their way home.” What he was suggesting, of course, was an ambush, but thinking about it as one left a bad taste in his mouth. For that reason, he used the word 'confront' instead of 'ambush'. Somehow it sat better with his aristocratic upbringing. “I assume you have no complaints?”

After finishing his meal, Ernest began preparations to leave. The bird almost certainly was nearing the temple by now, and the Thrall would probably reach the Church fairly soon, though it was traveling slowly. After filling a thermos with coffee, Ernest headed toward the door. “I don't expect us to run into too much trouble during the day, but be prepared nonetheless.” Somehow, he felt he needed that advice much more than his Servant. “We'll start with scouting around Shinto, then head for Miyama. Following that, we will circle back around toward the Church and commence with our plans for the night.” As they left the house, Ernest removed a pair of keys from his pocket, opening the trunk of the limousine. Inside were the weapons he had managed to procure for the war. With a sigh, he withdrew one of three handguns from a crate. After making sure the weapon was loaded and its safety we active, he holstered it under his jacket. It was a distasteful action. Firearms didn't particularly suit him, and he had never been a very good shot, but his magecraft provided very little personal defense without his Thralls, and while bullets would be about as good as throwing rocks at a Servant, one might work as a last ditch effort against a Master. “Right then, let's head out. We'll take the limousine for now.” As he spoke, the remaining Thrall took the driver's seat of the vehicle. The magus first opened the door for his Servant, an act he desperately hoped she took as a sign of respect and not an attempt at patronization. Following that, he took his own seat and called for the car to head out.

As the car rolled on, Ernest looked toward Chi-You. Despite their conversation the night before, he still knew precious little about her. Nimrod had been an entirely different situation. He had known that Heroic Spirit's legend and had summoned him because of it, but Chi-You had been summoned without a catalyst of any sort. Surely something tied them together, though he wasn't entirely sure just what that 'something' was yet. As the car headed toward Shinto, he spoke, glancing out the window. "So, if I may ask, what is your motivation in this war, Chi-You? Is there some end goal you're pursuing?" The words were a bit more familiar than the formal tone he had used earlier. A question of motivation was the best he could come up with. After all, the same motivation that led him to pursue the Grail was what had driven him for years now. Perhaps knowing Chi-You's motivation would help him to understand her better.

Dove Thrall

Ryuudou Temple, Perimeter

The bird fluttered around the perimeter of Ryuudou Temple, careful, for the moment, to draw too near to the building. Still, from the sky the drone provided a decent vantage point of both the temple itself and the grounds that surrounded it. In appearance, it was practically indistinguishable from an ordinary dove, though up close inspection one might notice the bloodstains on its white feathers.

Thrall Un

On the Way to the Church

The Thrall made his way from Ernest's house at a quick but unhurried speed.

Don't run. Would bring attention.

This was a rule the magus had set for him. Though the Thralls were not near the mental capacity of a human being, or even that of most magical constructs, they still possessed a human brain, though it was kept functional only by the influx of Magical Energy from a magus. Thus, thoughts processed within the puppet's mind. Things could be recorded, notes and observations mostly, though the magus would have to be the one to make sense of them.

On and on up the hill the Thrall climbed, his pale grey eyes only scarcely visible in the gap between his hood and scarf. On the way, he passed a very upset looking young man running in the opposite direction.

Trouble? Problem? Not goal. Keep moving.

And so he did, he kept moving up toward the Church, but came to a stop near the Foreigner's Cemetery. Luckily, by the time the Thrall arrived, the Cemetery was completely empty, but something about the area brought him to a stop. His master had put him in an 'observation mode' of sorts, so it was only natural to note irregularities.

Ground... disturbed. Fight? Probably important. Take note.

Taking what amounted to a snapshot of the empty cemetery, the Thrall continued on toward his goal, finally reaching the Church, entering behind a small, dark haired girl and a massive hulk of a man that appeared out of nowhere. There were others in the room as well, all of which Ruler referred to as 'competitors'.

Take note. Take note.

Another snapshot.

There was also the concerning amount of cardboard strewn around the room.

Take... note?

Following Ruler's greeting, the Thrall stepped out from behind those who had preceded him, turning to face Ruler. In a moment, the Thrall seemed to take on a much more 'human' disposition, and spoke with a voice that was not his own.

“Ah yes, pardon the intrusion, Ruler, I realized during my previous visit I forgot to inquire about a few particulars regarding this war. The situation being what it was, I'm sure you understand.”

Mechanical, polite, and painfully stuffy: The Thrall spoke in Ernest's voice, though with a slight hint of unnatural distortion.

“This Grail War being in the... peculiar state that it is in, I was a bit curious regarding the basic rules and regulations, as well as what exactly constitutes a 'conclusion' for this conflict.”

The puppet spoke with its master's every mannerism. It was a rather uncomfortable thing to watch.

@Holy Grail @Moonlit Sonata @Cu Chulainn @Beloss

Fate/Empty Providence

Ernest LaCreux

Ernest's House, Eastern Fuyuki, Near the Foreigner's Cemetery

Ernest nodded grimly at the Tyrant's distaste for the meager, modern meal. In truth, he once had been accustomed to great feasts as well. Though he doubted dinner at the LaCreux Manor in New Orleans could hold a candle to the kingly feasts Chi-You had experienced. Not that he himself had been too familiar with any sort of formal meal as of late. For the last few years he had been almost entirely consumed with research, and meals were scarce, small, and typically only eaten when he absolutely needed them. Thus, the prospect of eating some meager dish didn't particularly bother him. He looked over to Chi-You, nodding again. “I apologize for the simplicity. I assure you, if and when we are victorious in this War, there will be plenty of feasts to be had.” The thought of celebration was so alien to him he had difficulty imagining it. Regardless, food was the least of their concerns.

Chi-You did not seem content to sit and wait for an attack, a disposition Ernest had predicted for the most part. Thankfully, she also didn't seem to be the type to rush in without a plan. Ernest considered the Tyrant's plan for a moment. “Yes, I think you're right... One moment.” The magus left the living room, descending down into the basement. After a few moments, he returned, carrying the map of Fuyuki, which he unrolled on the floor in front of Chi-You. “Here we are.” He began pointing to specific locations on the map. “These are fallen leylines. We are likely to find enemy Masters near these points.” He tapped the location of the Church with his cane.

“There are likely still several pairs that will visit the Church. Obviously, attacking them near the neutral zone would be a poor decision, but we could use this opportunity for some reconnaissance.” A slight shadow fell over the man's face as he drug the end of his cane to the forest. “This is where I was attacked last night. Venturing into that area could be dangerous... but there is also the possibility that we could uncover more information regarding the enemy I encountered.” He looked at Chi-You again. “If that... thing was tied to one of the enemy Masters or Servants in any way, then there's also the possibility of encountering an enemy there.” The prospect of returning to the forest concerned him deeply. Still, this time he would be prepared.

Ernest stared down at the map, evidently absorbed in thought. “There are also the other fallen leylines that we could investigate. There's a chance we could uncover something at one of those...” He tapped his cane on the wooden floor. “Very well, I leave the decision of where we go first up to you. I can also make use of my Thralls for observation purposes, which gives us the ability to monitor one location while exploring another.” He still had one dove left, and both of the human Thralls. Truth be told, though, he preferred to keep those two armed and nearby if he could. He didn't doubt Chi-You in the slightest, but there was always the potential for a surprise attack, and the Thralls were capable of protecting him adequately if nothing else.

@Holy Grail

Fate/Empty Providence

Ernest LaCreux

Eastern Fuyuki, Near the Foreigner's Cemetery

The two had departed the Church without being spotted, as far as Ernest could tell. That was good. After the chaos of the Grail War's first day he was in no condition for any more surprise altercations. The ride back had consisted chiefly of Ernest explaining the rather peculiar circumstances that had led to their current situation. He had explained, in the plainest terms he could, for he was still rather baffled by the particulars, that Chi-You was the second Servant he had summoned, and that his initial Servant had been destroyed by some bizarre enigma of a man. As a courtesy, he had also informed Chi-You that another attack was certainly within the realm of possibility. The thought worried him, but perhaps not as much as it should have. Nimrod had simply been caught off guard, or at least that was what he told himself. If he and his Servant expected the attack, they would have the upper hand... or at least stand a fighting chance. Besides, Chi-You was, as far as he could tell, more powerful than Nimrod, at least as far as parameters were concerned.

When they arrived back at the small house in Eastern Fuyuki, Ernest had inquired more about Chi-You. He had learned that she was of the Saber class, a detail that came as a welcome surprise. He had told the Servant about the Command Seal that had been required for her summoning as well. In the back of his mind, the thought brought a bit of concern. Command Seals were incredibly valuable, and the fact that he now had one less than the other Masters meant he was at a disadvantage. That was just the nature of things though. Besides, despite her royal demeanor, Ernest had high hopes for his partnership with Chi-You.

The conversation between Master and Servant had been cut short by the crushing exhaustion that was overwhelming Ernest. Anything else could wait until morning... a morning that was already nearly upon them. The magus had retired to his bedroom and collapsed into a black, dreamless sleep.

Day Two

Ernest arose after only a few hours of sleep. Such a thing had been his habit for years, a constant restlessness preventing him from ever enjoying a full night's sleep. Still, the utter exhaustion from the night before had been at least partially abated by the brief rest. After waking up, the mage quickly set to work preparing himself for the day. The Grail War had already proved itself impossibly unpredictable, and he had no intention of being caught unawares again.

Ernest opened his door, entering the living room of the small house. He was dressed in his usual, highly formal attire, every detail of his black suit prim and proper. He looked considerably more prepared than the desperate man who had summoned Chi-You the night before. Mentally, he commanded one of the Thralls to begin preparing a quick and simple breakfast. Using the undead for something so trivial might have seemed somewhat humorous, but the LaCreux family had long ago abandoned the practice of hiring servant in favor of using the Thralls. It was convenient, if hilariously morbid.

As the familiar set to its work, Ernest greeted his Servant. “Good morning, Chi-You.” The smell of eggs began to drift through the room. “I know Servants don't require food, but you are welcome to breakfast, if it suits you.” A simple meal of eggs and toast seemed quite unfit for a hero, but it was in Ernest's nature to be polite about such things. “On to more important matters, though.” Ernest tapped his cane on the floor, evidently thinking. “I suppose we should formulate some kind of standing strategy. The Grail War has begun, and I believe many of the other Masters and Servants will begin moving now.” The magus began pacing around the room slowly. “On a basic level, we have two options upon which to build the rest of our strategy. We either remain here, and meet whatever threats happen upon us, or we go out and seek our enemies.” He stopped his pacing, turning toward Chi-You. “I am not necessarily opposed to either plan. However, our current location is the one in which I can provide you with the most support.” He motioned toward the door. “You may have noticed last night that there is a cemetery nearby. I am capable of making use of such a burial ground, if the need arises.” Ernest tapped his cane against the floor again. It seemed the motion was a habit of his. "We also should consider how to react if we are attacked by that... thing I spoke of last night. Judging by my previous encounter with it, I suspect that it is more likely to strike while we are in the field, but I can't be certain." A disgusted look crossed Ernest's face for a moment, but he shook it off. “Ultimately, though, I leave the decision up to you. Master or not, you will be the one fighting our battles, and I'd like to give you every advantage possible. I will support you in any way that I can.”

@Holy Grail